"We want to notify business players whose names still do not figure in the blacklist to submit proposals for the abolition of their ex-foreign vessels," KKP Secretary General Sjarief Widjaja said in a press statement in Jakarta on Saturday.
These vessels are to be banished from fishing following a policy decision by the government to henceforth boost the catch fish sector at home, deploying domestic capital and ships built in the country.
The KKP had earlier assessed and evaluated 1,133 ex-foreign ships as part of the efforts to implement the KKPs moratorium on ships built overseas or ex-foreign vessels.
Assessment and evaluation was carried out to gather data about compliance by fishing business players of regulations connected to catch fishery and other related fields such as customs, quarantine, manpower and others.
"Business players with a good record of compliance will be dealt with leniency and will not be included in the blacklist," noted Sjarief, adding such businesses will, however, undergo a legal process and tax auditing even though these may not be blacklisted.
Sjarief also stated that business players not included in the black list will not face administrative sanctions, such as revocation of fishery business permits (SIUP).
The proposal to abolish these ships shall be submitted by ex-foreign vessels owners to the Ship Registration Authority where the vessels were formally registered, based on regulations in force. Owners are also required to submit a declaration to the KKP minister, the director general of fish catch and the director general of maritime affairs and fisheries supervision.
As reported, the moratorium on ex-foreign vessels has benefited local fishermen in Merauke District, Papua province. Within the span of a month, they were able to catch about 1,000 tons of fish.
Head of the Workforce Unit of the Maritime and Fisheries Resources (SDKP) of Merauke District, Hewin Salurante, said on Thursday (June 16) that after the imposition of the moratorium, local fishermens production has significantly increased.
"A fishing vessel of over 5 gross tonnage is able to produce more than 1,000 tons of fish per month. The moratorium has benefited the local fishermen a lot," noted Herwin.(*)
Editor: Heru Purwanto
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