"The Indonesian Navy will build a command headquarter in West Sulawesi to monitor and combat illegal fishing that have had an adverse effect on the regional revenue," stated Governor of West Sulawesi Adwar Anan Saleh here, on Friday.
Adwar noted that the institution will build the same in Rangas Village of Mamuju in front of the office of West Sulawesi Governor and near the immigration office.
He added that the Navy will set up 150 personnel to guard 20 thousand square kilometers of West Sulawesi seas to avoid foreign illegal fishing and to monitor sea resources exploitation.
"We have always had loss on sea resources due to the illegal fishing. We hope that illegal fishing will be eliminated after the Navy build headquarter in the area," Adwar explained.
The governor also supported local fishermen activity by giving fishing ships 30 GT at RP3.9 billion which has been taken from the State budget of Fishery and Marine Ministry.
Earlier on December 2013, officers from Police and Indonesian Navy had arrested a Malaysian flagged fishing ship in Mamuju waters that had hunted 346 sea turtles.
The ship has 13 crew members, allegedly from Vietnam.(*)
Editor: Heru Purwanto
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