Jakarta (ANTARA) - The Marine Affairs and Fisheries Ministry has seized 12 fish aggregating devices (FADs) installed illegally in the Sulawesi waters at the border of Indonesia and the Philippines.

The ministry's acting Director General of Marine and Fishery Resources Supervision Agus Suherman remarked that two different patrol ships had seized the illegal devices.

"KP Hiu 013 and KP Hiu 015 patrol ships seized 12 illegal fish aggregating devices allegedly installed by Filipino fishermen in the Sulawesi waters in the border of Indonesia and the Philippines," Suherman stated.

Eight devices seized by the KP Hiu 013 patrol ship on Wednesday (Nov 20) were handed over to the Marine and Fisheries Resources Supervision station in Tahuna, North Sulawesi.

Related news: Six traditional fishermen apprehended for blast fishing in West Papua

On the same day, KP Hiu 015 seized four devices that were handed over to its station in Bitung, North Sulawesi.

During the January-November 2019 period, the ministry had seized 121 illegal FADs, of which 116 were operated by Filipinos while five others by Malaysians.

Based on Ministerial Decree No. 26/Permen-KP/2014 on Rumpon or FAD, any party keen on installing an FAD in the Indonesian waters must possess a legal document.

Earlier in July, the ministry had seized five illegal FADs, allegedly placed by Malaysian fishermen in the waters of Ambalat that border Indonesia and Malaysia.

FAD is a permanent, semi-permanent, or temporary structure or device made from any material and used to trap fish.
Related news: Govt to help fishermen by granting seized fishing vessels

Related news: Policy on sinking illegal fishing boats to continue


EDITED BY INE

Translator: M Razi Rahman, Sri Haryati
Editor: Fardah Assegaf
Copyright © ANTARA 2019