"The Directorate General of Sea Transportation of the Transportation Ministry has committed to speeding up certification of fishing vessels. The number of fishing vessels certified by the ministry has continued to increase," a spokesman of the ministry Hengki Angkasawan noted in a statement here on Friday.
By the end of January, the number of small fishing vessels, with capacity of less than seven gross ton (GT), has reached 30,529, and as of Feb 20, the number has increased to 33,052 vessels.
Angkasawan remarked that of the total 33,052 vessels certified by the ministry, 19,694 are in Java Island.
In addition to the issuance of fishing vessel certification, he remarked that the ministry had issued the seaman book, as one of the required documents for fishermen.
The number of seaman books issued by the ministry has continued to increase, he pointed out.
"The number of certified fishermen, as of February 20, 2019, has reached 232,414, including those certified by the Human Resource Development Agency in Transportation," he revealed.
Angkasawan reiterated that the ministry is committed to simplifying and accelerating the licensing process for fishermen, so they can continue their activities and meet the safety requirements.
The Transportation Ministry and Marine Affairs and Fisheries Ministry have finalized negotiation on the draft agreement on cooperation regarding seamanship and the legal status of fishing vessels.
The two ministries will exchange data on fishing vessels to prevent duplication of ship data.
Reporting by Ahmad Wijaya, Sri Haryati
Reporter: Antara
Editor: Sri Haryati
Copyright © ANTARA 2019
