REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, NUSA DUA -- Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Minister Susi Pudjiastuti said her ministry is planning to cooperate with China to overcome illegal fishing by Chinese citizens in Indonesian waters. "We are planning to cooperate with the countries of origin of fish poachers, one of which is China. Poachers do not represent countries, but crimes," the minister said when contacted on Thursday.

The cooperation was established so that China would take action against its citizens, who fish illegally in the Indonesian waters, Susi said. "Without the assistance of China, it is impossible for us to eradicate the sea crimes in our waters," she added.

Susi pointed out three development pillars in Indonesia's maritime development, namely protection of Indonesian waters, assurance of the continuation of Indonesia's marine resources and prosperity of the Indonesian people.

As an island country with water areas greater than its land area, Indonesia is prone to illegal fishing and the most dangerous one is when the sea is used as a place for committing a crime, particularly fish poaching. Currently, she said, Indonesia is doing its best to fight against organized transnational crimes, such as illegal fishing.

Based on the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) in 2015, Illegal, Unreported and Unregistered (IUU) fishing stole the world fish resources by up to 90.1 percent. Indonesia suffered economic losses from IUU fishing amounting US$20 million per annum. "Not only that, illegal fishing also harmed the interests of small fishermen," Susi said.

Ikuti Whatsapp Channel Republika