"This is an effort to overcome the problem related to fishing activities faced by Indonesian fishermen in the Australian waters," Director General of Marine and Fishery Resources Supervision (PSDKP) Rear Admiral Adin Nurawaluddin noted in a press release, Friday.
Nurawaluddin conveyed that these programs are a combination of prevention and law enforcement approaches to provide a deterrent effect to prohibit fishermen from illegally entering Australian waters. In addition, the approach aims to boost the fishermen's economy through alternative livelihoods.
"We encourage a resolution to this problem to be carried out comprehensively and not only through repressive measures. We must make efforts to prevent and improve the welfare of fishermen in their regions of origin, such as Kupang and Rote," he stated.
Meanwhile, Secretary of the Directorate General of Marine and Fishery Resources Supervision Suharta noted that both parties had agreed to form a Working Group that will finalize the plan and implement the program.
Suharta stated that Indonesia and Australia had agreed on the Terms of Reference for cooperation in supervision and law enforcement and PIC through awareness of relevant stakeholders, while the development of alternative livelihoods will be discussed further.
"For the development of alternative livelihoods, this is cross-sectoral, so it is necessary to involve the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the National Development Planning Agency (Bappenas)," he affirmed.
The annual meeting of the Indonesia Australia Fisheries Surveillance Forum was held on March 30. The delegation from Australia was a representative of the Australian Border Force (ABF) and the Australian Fisheries Management Organization (AFMA), while from the Indonesian side, it was represented by the Directorate General of PSDKP KKP, the Public Relation and Foreign Cooperation Bureau of the Ministry of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries, and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
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The Ministry of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries has continued to support the efforts to deal with violations by Indonesian fishermen in Australian waters.
Earlier, the Directorate General of PSDKP and the Australian Maritime Border Command also conducted coordinated patrol activities, Jawline Arafura, to address the vulnerability of illegal fishing in border areas.
Earlier, Minister of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries, Sakti Wahyu Trenggono, also instructed the ranks of the Directorate General of PSDKP to take firm action against illegal fishing, including those committed by Indonesian fishermen.
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Translator: M Razi Rahman, Resinta S
Editor: Rahmad Nasution
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