"Under the Indonesian Fisheries Supervisory Ship System program, the ministry will build four new ships this year," Director General of Maritime Resources and Fisheries Supervision (PSDKP), Asep Burhanudin, said here Monday.
The four news ships, expected to become operational by the end of this year, would support 27 surveillance vessels currently operated by the ministry, he said.
"We are also doing our best to increase the number of operational days from 116 to 210, taking these eventually to 280," Burhanudin said.
President Joko Widodo has ordered all concerned parties in the country to take strongest possible action against foreign fishing boats poaching in Indonesian waters.
"I say, do not nab the foreign fishing boats poaching in Indonesian waters. If needed, sink them straightaway, but save their crew members first. If we do that to some 20 boats, others will think twice before setting out for illegal fishing in Indonesian waters," he had said last November.
Due to the illegal fishing activity that foreign vessels indulge in, Indonesia has been suffering significant material loss.
According to the Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Unitary Indonesian Traditional Fishermen, M. Rizal Damanik, the states losses as a result of illegal fishing amount to Rp100 trillion each year.
(Reported by Benardy Ferdiansyah/Uu.INE/KR-BSR/B003)
Editor: Priyambodo RH
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