The Minister of Marine Affairs and Fisheries, Sharif C. Sutardjo, asserted that the IUU Fishing activity and the illegal presence of the foreign fishing boats are absolutely detrimental to Indonesia. In addition to disserving the local fishermen, they are an authentic threat to the sustainability of the marine and fishery resource management in Indonesia. The illegal and destructive fishing must be considered as manifestations of the extraordinary crime as they significantly destroy the marine and fishery resource. Those activities bear a gigantic detriment to the community's socio-economy. "I wholeheartedly appreciate the performance conducted by the field authorities who once again has successfully arrested 3 Vietnamese-flagged boats in the west part and another three Philippines’-flagged boats in the east area," said Mr. Sutardjo. He added, this success is just another proof that the Indonesian waters is such a "bull's-eye" of the region's Illegal fishing. The record speaks that over the 2012, MMAF had conducted the interrogation to 4326 fishing boats. Of that number, 112 among others were accused to commit the violation; 70 boats were foreign fishing boats and the rest was Indonesian boats. "In the last 8 years, MMAF had even interrogated 20,064 fishing boats. As the follow-up, 714 of them had been legally processed. Meanwhile, 563 Indonesian fishing boats were allegedly committed IUU fishing," unveiled him.
Cooperation
Sharif underlined, to optimize the eradication of IUU fishing, MMAF has synergized with the local governments and the related parties, such as the Navy, the constabulary, and the Maritime Security Coordinating Board (IMSCB). Additionally, MMAF also work closely with the Attorney General in procuring the public prosecutors of the fishery criminal act. "We work closely with the Attorney General of Indonesia to establish the Fishery Court as well as to procure the Ad Hoc judges," explained him.
Meanwhile, the Director General of MFRM, Syahrin Abdurrahman added, the arrest of the six illegal foreign fishing boats is the second success in the April's monitoring operation, which a week earlier on April, 7, the Macan 01 Monitoring Boat (MB) caught 6 Vietnamese-flagged fishing boats. Therefore, MMAF kept on conducting simultaneous monitoring activity. And the result, in the west part operation, on April, 14, the Macan 01 MB once again caught 3 Vietnamese-flagged boats. This achievement is also strengthened by the operation in the east part of Indonesia, where the Macan 03 MB successfully detained 3 Philippines’-flagged, 34-crewed boats and had already been escorted to Bitung," revealed him.
Besides arresting 6 foreign fishing boats, MFRM also arrested one Indonesian fishing boat, KM Citra Mandiri Jaya, which was manned by 13 Vietnamese crew. They, who had no Fishing Permit, Fish Vessel Permit, or Trade Permit, were caught in the Natuna Waters and already detained in Batam. Meanwhile, the hull codes of the three Vietnamese-flagged boats are BD 95594, BV 95227 TS and BV 95467 TS. With 24 crew, they were arrested in the Natuna's waters and had already been detained in Batam. "99, 5% of all the foreign fishing boats who set sail in Indonesia's waters commit the illegal fishing activity. Meanwhile, for the Indonesian fishermen, we have to teach them that fishing by using explosive is against the law and it destroys the nature," asserted Syahrin.
For more information, please contact Indra Sakti, SE, MM, The Head of Statistic and Information Center, The Ministry of Maritime and Fisheries Affairs. (Ph. 0818159705)
Editor: PR Wire
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