Every inch of this fisheries management location is a nationwide asset that we will secure
The Ministry of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries (KKP) detained a Vietnamese-flagged fishing vessel for having carried out unlawful fishing activities in the North Natuna waters on Tuesday (April 27), according to an official.
The foreign boat was seized after a chase, the ministry’s Fleet Tracking and Operations Director, Pung Nugroho Saksono, noted in a news release here on Wednesday.
After identifying the fishing boat poaching in the North Natuna Sea, the Indonesian patrol boat, Hiu (Shark) 17, chased it, switched on the caution sirens, and fired bullets into the air, according to Saksono.
Saksono praised the patrol boat’s team members for their decision and battling spirit to not enable the foreign boat to go free after poaching fish in the Indonesian waters.
Saksono restated that his side would never jeopardize with any individual or party found to be poaching fish.
” Every inch of this fisheries management area is a national asset that we will secure,” he affirmed.
Another Indonesian fishing boat was detained in the North Natuna waters for violating existing laws, as it was operating with an ended fishing permit (SIPI).
The ministry has, previously, captured an overall of 82 fishing vessels comprising 68 Indonesian boats and 14 foreign fishing vessels for poaching.
In early April, the ministry had intercepted and apprehended 5 Vietnamese-flagged fishing boats on grounds of poaching in the Natuna waters, Riau Islands Province.
” We seized five foreign fishing boats bearing Vietnamese flags when they will steal or capture squids in the northern Natuna Sea, Riau Islands,” Performing Director General of Marine Resources and Fisheries Monitoring (PSDKP) Antam Novambar specified at the Rengas River, West Kalimantan, on April 12, 2021.
A total of 20 crew members of the foreign boats were likewise placed in detention.
” Presently, the 5 foreign boats and their 20 team members have been moved to PSDKP Pontianak, pending the legal process,” he mentioned.
The boats were vessels specialized for catching squid and had often poached squid in the northern Natuna Sea over the previous two months.
” Fishermen of the five foreign boats tried to evade arrest by ramming their boats into a joint patrol boat,” he exposed.
Associated news: Five Vietnamese-flagged fishing boats apprehended by KKP in Natuna waters
Related news: Ministry detains 2 Vietnamese ships for poaching in North Natuna
Related news: Indonesia inducts 2 patrol ships to suppress prohibited fishing
