"Out of the total of 3,782 boats caught, 94 cases involving 37 Indonesian boats and 57 foreign boats, faced legal action," said Syahrin Abdurrahman, the ministry`s director general for maritime and fisheries resources division, in a statement here on Wednesday.
"Illegal and destructive fishing activities have inflicted huge losses socially and economically" he noted.
Abdurrahman stated that the ministry was committed to fighting against rampant illegal and destructive fishing through improved monitoring and supervision.
"Therefore, the ministry plans to develop the necessary infrastructure facilities in its efforts to tackle poaching and destructive fishing activities," he explained.
Currently, the ministry has 25 patrol boats, while it should ideally have at least 80.
According to media reports, the Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Ministry estimated that illegal fishing activities cost the country Rp30 trillion (approximately US$3.11 billion) annually.
However, the People's Coalition for Fisheries Justice (KIARA) pointed out that the real figure is more than Rp50 trillion (US$5.2 billion).
(f001/INE/a014 )
Editor: Suryanto
Copyright © ANTARA 2012
