We have applied all the protocols tightly and properly. Of course, it is important for us to ensure that the crew members of the fishing vessels we have handled, deported or handed to the relevant agency are in good healthJakarta (ANTARA) - The Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Ministry has conducted rapid tests on 118 crew members of fishing vessels involved in illegal fishing in Indonesia and all of them have tested negative for the novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).
The ministry in cooperation with the Batam City COVID-19 Task Force conducted the rapid tests on the crew members of the fishing vessels facing legal process at he Batam marine and fisheries supervision (PSDKP) port in Riau Islands Province on Saturday, Director General of Marine and Fishery Resources Surveillance Tb Haeru Rahayu said here on Sunday.
The rapid tests were aimed at ensuring that the ministry has complied with the COVID-19 prevention protocols in handling the crew members of fishing vessels involved in illegal fishing, Haeru said.
He said the ministry had tightly applied the COVID-19 prevention protocols to the crew members of the fishing vessels.
The ministry screened the temperatures of the crew members in association with the port health office before they took rapid tests, he said,
In addition, Investigators questioned the crew members of fishing vessels by keeping physical distance and avoiding close contact with them.
"We have applied all the protocols tightly and properly. Of course, it is important for us to ensure that the crew members of the fishing vessels we have handled, deported or handed to the relevant agency are in good health," he said.
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Translator: M Razi Rahman/Suharto
Editor: Fardah Assegaf
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