Patrol ship Orca 03 has detained fishing ships KG 9307 TS and KNF 7727 in the North Natuna SeaJakarta (ANTARA) - The Marine and Fishery Affairs Ministry seized two Vietnamese-flagged fishing boats for poaching in Indonesia's territory in the North Natuna Sea.
"Patrol ship Orca 03 has detained fishing ships KG 9307 TS and KNF 7727 in the North Natuna Sea," Secretary General of KKP Antam Novambar noted in a statement here on Monday.
The two Vietnamese ships used pair trawl during their operation.
The authority arrested 21 Vietnamese crew members and seized the ships, including navigation and fishing tools, communication device, and fish.
"We ensure that the legal process will be conducted in accordance with the law," he affirmed.
Novambar emphasized that the arrest reflected the ministry's commitment to act sternly to thwart poaching in the Indonesian waters.
The ministry's Director of Surveillance and Operation, Pung Nugroho Saksono, remarked that the two ships tugged the pair trawl to catch fish in the waters, and this practice could have a larger detrimental impact.
"This device has low selectiveness and a wide sweep, and all big and small fish can be caught," Saksono explained.
According to Saksono, in the initial 100 days since Minister Sakti Wahyu Trenggono took office, the ministry had detained 67 fishing ships comprising five Malaysian ships and two Vietnamese ships for poaching as well as 60 Indonesian ships for violating regulations.
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Translator: M Razi Rahman, Sri Haryati
Editor: Fardah Assegaf
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