"They poach fish in Indonesian waters because their marine resources have run out. By combating fish theft, we hope the volume of fish caught by local fishermen increases," she said during a working visit to Jembrana district on Monday.
Indonesia, which has the second-longest coastline in the world, is ranked the fifth-largest fish exporter in Southeast Asia, she added.
When questioned about a request from owners of illegal fishing vessels to legally process their cases before sinking their vessels, the minister affirmed that her ministry abided by the fisheries law that authorized it to sink illegal fishing vessels.
"The stern measures taken by the Indonesian government against fish poachers have been fruitful, including in Kupang where local fisherman caught tuna fish weighing up to a hundred kilograms. This holds true for the rest of the country, as well," Pudjiastuti remarked.
Moreover, to fight against fish theft, she has urged local fishermen to participate in the movement by reporting any suspicious fishing vessels they spot to security agencies.
She also admitted that fishermen served as the spearhead of the efforts made to protect Indonesian waters from fish poachers.
"Fish in Indonesian waters must be caught by local fishermen. Other countries are only allowed to buy our fish for processing," she pointed out.(*)
Editor: Heru Purwanto
Copyright © ANTARA 2015
