The program to eradicate illegal fishing has successfully reduced the fishery sources of the competitors."
London (ANTARA News) - Indonesian Maritime and Fishery Minister Susi Pudjiastuti visited Moscow, Russia, to explore cooperation in the fishery sector and to create a market for Indonesian fish products in the country.

This visit is important as Russia has banned fishery imports from countries that imposed sanctions following its dispute with Ukraine, according to a statement from the Indonesian Embassy in Moscow received by ANTARA News here on Tuesday.

The Indonesian officials visit to Russia is a reciprocal gesture after the Russian Deputy Prime Minister Arkady Dvorovich visited Jakarta some time ago, Pudjiastuti affirmed.

The meeting was held to discuss Indonesias huge aquaculture and fishery potential and to explore areas of cooperation in the fields of security and the surveillance of territorial waters.

During the meeting, the minister shed light on the governments measures to tackle illegal fishing and other violations and the use of modern technology in guarding the territorial waters. She also explored the possibility of Indonesia directly supplying its fishery products to Russia.

"The program to eradicate illegal fishing has successfully reduced the fishery sources of the competitors," the minister pointed out.

Pudjiastuti stated that the sinking of foreign ships caught illegally fishing in Indonesian waters has served as a powerful deterrent in curbing illegal fishing.

Illegal fishing is considered to be as dangerous as human and drug trafficking crimes, she added.

The minister also visited Norway and Poland to explore cooperation in the fields of eradicating illegal fishing and securing the territorial waters.
(Uu.KR-LWA/INE/KR-BSR/A014)

Editor: Priyambodo RH
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