We will take stern measures and stay on the frontlines to guard the country's marine and fisheries resources. We will not move slowly to crackdown on illegal fishing
Jakarta (ANTARA) - The Marine Affairs and Fisheries Ministry detained two Malaysian-flagged fishing vessels over poaching in the Indonesian territory of Malacca Strait and one Indonesian vessel for operating trawl fishing gear in the waters.

The Malaysian vessel KM JHF 4631 B that operated trap for catching fish was detained by the ministry's patrol ship Hiu 03, led by Ardiansyah Pamuji on January 21, acting Director General of Marine and Fisheries Resources Surveillance (PSDKP) of the ministry Antam Novambar noted in a statement here on Tuesday.

On Sunday (Jan 24), the patrol ship Hiu 01, led by Albert Essing, detained another Malaysian ship KM SLFA 4107 that operated trawl fishing gear in the waters.

"We will take stern measures and stay on the frontlines to guard the country's marine and fisheries resources. We will not move slowly to crackdown on illegal fishing," Novambar stated.

The ministry's patrol officers will not be deterred by the current extreme weather conditions in their quest to guard the country's marine and fisheries wealth.

"The arrest is testament to the fact that we have never been negligent regardless of the condition. We are not always able to catch them easily. Sometimes we have to chase them," he noted.

Novambar spoke of the authority also having arrested crew members -- three Malaysians and four Myanmarese -- of the Malaysian vessels.

The two foreign vessels were escorted to the PSDKP base in Batam and PSDKP station in Belawan.

In addition to the foreign vessels, the authority also arrested an Indonesian ship KM Baroena for operating trawl fishing gear in the Malacca Strait on Saturday (Jan 23).

The ship did not have the required document to operate the trawl, and the authority detained the skipper and crews for questioning at the PKSDP base Lampulo.

Director of Surveillance and Fleet Operation Pung Nugroho Saksono stated that the ministry will remain vigilant despite the current unfavorable weather as poachers usually operate in extreme weather.
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