Beached whales die in Australia

BBC

About 150 whales have died after being stranded in a remote coastal area of the Australian island of Tasmania. 

Many of the long-finned pilot whales, which were discovered on Saturday, had been badly injured by jagged rocks. 

Rescuers did manage to shepherd about 30 whales trapped in shallow reefs to safety using a small boat, an official said. 

Whales pass Tasmania as they migrate to and from Antarctic waters and stranding is not uncommon. 

Last week 11 whales were rescued after more than 60 became stranded off another part of the island.

 

Local residents and experts had worked to help this group of whales, stranded near Sandy Cape in north-west Tasmania, but most had been injured by rocks and reefs. 

 

Officials moved one stranded whale that was calling to a group offshore, in a bid to prevent further deaths.

 

"Unfortunately, that whale died but what happened then was those 30 whales milling around seemed more willing to move on and with a boat in the water we managed to shepherd them out of the bay," Warwick Brennan, a spokesman for the department of primary industries and water, told AAP news agency.

 

Pilot whales are among the smaller whales, growing to about 5m (16ft) in length.

 

Scientists are not sure what causes whales to beach.

Related Article:

Stranded whales rescued in Australia

Four-meter whale stranded in Garut

Toxin not seen in whale deaths

Disorientation Seen in Mass Australia Whale Deaths

First Lady to launch tree planting movement

Jakarta  (ANTARA News) - First Lady Ani Yudhoyono, to be accompanied by Mrs. Mufidah Jusuf Kalla, will plant breadfruit and coconut trees to mark the launch of a tree planting movement for women at Ancol Ocean Park, here, on December 1. 

The theme of last year`s movement was "Plant and Care 10 Million Trees" in an afford to help deal with the global warming. The theme of the 2008 tree planting movement will be "The food resilience of family." 

"Therefore, this year we will plant fruit-bearing and edible trees. Besides planting trees, we will also provide fingerlings to the people," Erna Witoelar, coordinator of the tree planting movement, said here on Thursday. 

The nation-wide movement will focus on planting and caring of edible trees, medicinal trees, and fingerling breeding for daily consumption of the people, according to Erna Witoelar, a former environmental affairs minister. 

"This is to ease the impacts of the current global food and energy crises which have affected the Indonesian people, especially the women," she said. 

To support the tree planting movement, the forestry ministry has provided around five million seedlings of breadfruit, durian, mango and other fruit-bearing trees. 

The fishery and marine ministry provides 30 million of fresh water fingerlings and 500 tons of seaweed seeds. Meanwhile, the agriculture ministry gives 2 million seedlings of horticultural trees and 2.5 million of crops seedlings. 

Witoelar said that the 2008 movement would be used as a momentum to empower the country`s women to help deal with the food and health problems. 

President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono is scheduled to launch the Indonesian Tree Planting Day 2008 on November 28, 2008. 

First Lady Kristiani Herrawati Bambang Yudhoyono has won a United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) award for her efforts in encouraging Indonesian women to plant 1 million trees simultaneously across the country last year.

Garbage piling up at Bali`s Kuta beach

Denpasar (ANTARA News) - After having been littered with tons of dead fish, Kuta beach in Bali is now being polluted by garbage brought there by sea waves including non-degradable plastic trash and animal remains.

"No more dead fishes are to be found there but they have been replaced by garbage" said I Gusti Ngurah Tresna, chief of the Kuta beach task force.

He said the phenomena recur during a period locals call "western wind season" before December.

"The climate has begun to change and western winds are now coming, bringing garbage from the sea to the shore," Trensa said.

The task force chief noted that the garbage has been piling up for five days on the beach. Some 20 trucks were being deployed to clean up the area.

"Everyday we, helped by local hawkers, collect the garbage and place them in the southern area near the cemetery to be taken by Badung sanitary workers," he said.

The garbage would be piling up in December, Tresna said, adding that last year its volume reached 1,000 truckloads.

The garbage may disturb tourism activities on Kuta beach. Besides bad weather, many tourists had canceled their intention to sunbathe and swim on the beach due to the garbage piles.

"We continuously inform the tourists about this annual happening to prevent misperception about Kuta beach," Tresna said.

In the future, he expected that not only the task force and the government but also tourism businesspeople would be involved in the handling of the garbage.

SAILING CLOSE TO THE WIND

The Jakarta Post, Wed, 11/26/2008 7:23 AM

Lapang islanders in East Nusa Tenggara on Tuesday prepare to board traditional sail boats still widely used in the archipelagic province due to the lack of modern ferries. High waves and strong currents have made the area notorious for fatal boat accidents. (JP/Yemris Fointuna)

Six Indonesian sailors survive shipwreck in Norway

London (ANTARA News)  - As many as six Indonesian sailors, along with seven others of other nationalities, were saved when their Bahama-flagged ship sank in Osloj`rd waters, Norway, recently, according to an Indonesian embassy official in Oslo.

 

A team from the Indonesian embassy had already met the six Indonesian sailors at their temporary accommodations in a hotel at Pasta, 30 km from Oslo, Manayur Pangeran, charge d`affaires at the embassy, said in a report from the Norwegian capital on Monday.

 

The cargo ship, named "Crete Cement," ran aground in shallow waters in Oslofj`rd last Wednesday (Nov 19, 2008).

 

At the hotel, the Indonesian embassy team also met the other crew of the ship including the Russian captain, one Norwegian sailor, three Croatians, a Pole and a Lithuanian.

 

The team had also met Kristian Gerhard Jebsen Skibsrederi AS, a representative from Oddbj`rn Lange, the company owning the ship, and also the company`s lawyer, Christopher Walker, and Inspector Morten Kveim from Norwegian Accident Investigation Board (AIB-N).

 

At the meeting, Manyur who led the Indonesian embassy team, asked the company to duly honor the rights of the six Indonesian sailors, namely their social security benefits, salaries, and plane tickets to return to Indonesia.

 

Manyur said at the meeting the company promised it would honor its obligations to the sailors such as providing hotel accommodations, food, payment of the sailors` salaries, and even loans if needed.

 

The company had also given the sailors mobile phones to contact their families in Indonesia.

 

According to Lange`s representatives, the six sailors would temporarily be placed in the Thon hotel until the police and AIB-N had completed their investigation of the shipwreck. The sailors would be sent back home to Indonesia as soon as the investigation was finished.

 

As the representatives from Indonesia`s embassy, Manyur said that he had also given official letters to the six sailors to help them in the immigration process at Oslo`s airport.

 

However, one of Indonesian sailors, Amin Tohari, could not yet leave Norway since he still had to undergo on interrogation process in his capacity as a navigator on the Crete Cement.

 

Manyur said the Indonesian embassy had discussed the matter with the Directorate for Indonesian Citizens` Protection and the Law directorate from Indonesia`s ministry of foreign affairs to help the six sailors in their immigration process.

 

The Crete Cement sank after hitting rocky seabed in the middle of Oslofj`rd , south of Aspon island, about 20 km from Oslo.

Malaysian Fishermen to Visit Aceh Today

Monday, 24 November, 2008 | 13:53 WIB

 

TEMPO Interactive, Banda Aceh: Members of the Union of Fishermen from Perak, Malaysia, are visiting Nangroe Aceh Darussalam, to hold a meeting with Acehnese fishermen today (Monday, 24/11) to work together over fishery trade.

 

M. Adli Abdullah, the Secretary General of Laot Aceh, a traditional sea institution in Aceh, stated that ten members of the Malaysian Fishermen’s Union will be in Aceh for three days from November 24 to 27.

 

The visit is aimed at making the relationship closer.

 

Adli Abdullah explained that Aceh and Perak actually have a historical relationship that has been maintained for a long time.

 

“Malaysian fishermen will meet fishermen in Banda Aceh, Langsa, and Idi,” he said.

 

They will also meet with representatives of the Aceh Regional Sea and Fisheries Office, fish traders, Laot Aceh, and the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), to arrange concrete plans for fishermen from both countries.

 

Adli Abdullah, quoted a statement by the chairman of Perak Fishermen Union, Encik Hamid bin Jais, that fish supplied from Kampung Aceh Lumut in Perak were understood to be fish from Gabion Belawan in Medan while they actually come from Aceh.

 

This meeting was facilitated by Infofish, an international institution in the Asia Pacific dealing with fish marketing.

 

Adi Warsidi

Sea Wave Powered Electricity Generating Plant Delayed

Monday, 24 November, 2008 | 13:51 WIB

TEMPO Interactive, Mataram: The installation of a sea wave powered electricity generating plant in the waters of Tanjung Menangis, Pringgabaya sub-district, Lombok Timur Regency, in West Nusa Tenggara (NTB), will not be carried out this November.

The reason for this is that the Kobold technology developer from Italy has asked for additional funds from the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), which is funding the project.

“UNIDO has been asked for more funds. Meanwhile, we cannot continue the project,” said Yusron Hadi, Head of the Sub Division of Natural and Environment Resources at NTB's Regional Development Planning Board, yesterday (23/11).

Yusron explained that additional funds were needed because of the global economic crisis that had resulted in price fluctuations.

He mentioned around EUR180,000 were allocated originally to address electricity needs of 138 units of house in Ketapang Hamlet.

Kobold is a second prototype in the world and is made in Italy.

The machine will be located 450 meters from the coastline at a depth of 25 meter depth.

Making use of sea waves moving at 2.75 meters per second, this project will be managed by the Cahaya Baru Group.

With this technology, it is expected that 60 watt of electricity power can be distributed to every house.

Kobold technology adopted the propeller concept turned by vertical sea waves that can produce 110 kilowatts of electricity power per hour.

The first Kobold prototype project in Indonesia cost Rp8 billion and was started in January this year.

Half of the project's cost was funded by UNIDO, with 30 percent from the Indonesian Government, 10 percent from the NTB Provincial Government, and 10 percent from the Lombok Timur Regency Government.

SUPRIYANTHO KHAFID

Indonesian patrol boat arrests two Malaysian fishing vessels

Jakarta (ANTARA News) - A patrol boat of the Marine Resources Directorate General of the Ministry of Maritime and Fisheries Affairs (DKP) has arrested two fishing vessels flying the Malaysian flag for poaching in the Indonesian waters in the Malacca Strait, the patrol boat skipper said.

 

Skipper of DKP`s patrol boat "Pengawas HIU 2110" Martin Irnias said here on Sunday the fishing vessels were arrested at coordinate 39 northern latitude and 370 degrees eastern longitude.

 

He said that the two ships had no license to enter the Indonesian waters. The two ships were SLSA 4830 with skipper Singkang and PKFB 1168 with skipper Steng.

East of the vessels had five crew members. "The number of crew and skippers who are detained is 12. "Irnias said.

Cnooc Plans $29 Billion South China Sea Exploration

By Wang Ying 

Nov. 24 (Bloomberg) -- Cnooc Ltd. and its partners may spend about 200 billion yuan ($29 billion) to develop fuel deposits in the South China Sea in the nation's biggest push to tap reserves off the coast. 

The investments between next year and 2020 include an estimated 15 billion yuan by parent China National Offshore Oil Corp. to build deepwater drilling equipment, Luo Donghong, chief development engineer at Cnooc's Shenzhen unit, told reporters and analysts on Nov. 22. He didn't name the companies that will partner China's biggest offshore oil producer. 

Rising energy demand in the world's fourth-biggest economy is prompting state-run Cnooc to boost exploration in an area where nations including Vietnam and Indonesia have laid territorial claims. The company will drill twice the depth of its existing wells off the coast of China as its global rivals cut spending after oil prices fell 66 percent from its July record. 

``Huge potential lies untapped for the company in the South China Sea, which is largely unexplored,'' Wang Aochao, a Shanghai-based analyst with UOB-Kay Hian Ltd., said by telephone today. ``The company will need to tackle the relationship between countries well.'' 

The South China Sea, covering 3.5 million square kilometers, stretches from Singapore to the Straits of Taiwan and is a third of the size of China. In July, the Chinese government opposed a plan by Exxon Mobil Corp., the world's biggest oil company, to explore for fuel in the area with Vietnam, saying the project marks a breach of its historical claim to the region. 

Cnooc climbed 2 percent to close at HK$5.16 in Hong Kong trading, while the benchmark Hang Seng Index dropped 1.6 percent. 

Stimulate Growth 

China, the world's second-biggest oil user, is expediting projects including nuclear power plants, gas pipelines and oil refineries to help stimulate the domestic economy and meet future energy demand. The country will overtake the U.S. as the world's biggest oil and gas consumer in about five years, Royal Dutch Shell Plc said in September. 

``The company will maintain its exploration budget for the South China Sea next year,'' Li Fanrong, general manager of the unit of the Beijing-based company, said in the southern city of Shenzhen. ``The investment is only a rough estimate that reflects the immense potential of oil and gas reserves in the area.'' 

Fuel Reserves 

Geological fuel reserves in the deepwater fields of the South China Sea may reach 22 billion barrels of oil equivalent by 2020 and overall annual output may rise to 350 million barrels, Luo said. China may consume 8.2 million barrels of oil a day in 2009, according to the International Energy Agency, the Paris-based adviser to 28 oil-consuming nations. 

China's demand for natural gas is ``huge'' in the coastal provinces of Guangdong, Fujian and Zhejiang, said Li. 

Cnooc and its future partners aim to drill up to 3,000 meters deep in the offshore area by 2020, compared with the current maximum depth of 1,485 meters, said Luo. ``Deepwater is a key area for future incremental reserves,'' he said. 

The actual spending for the South China Sea will depend on other variables including the price of raw materials such as steel, said Li. 

Cnooc's current exploration partners in the South China Sea include Devon Energy Corp., Husky Energy Inc. and Anadarko Petroleum Corp., Luo said. The Chinese explorer will invest $1.04 billion in exploration in 2008 as it aims to at least replace any reserves it depletes, Cnooc said in January. 

The company plans to produce between 195 million and 199 million barrels of oil equivalent this year, compared with last year's output of between 169 million and 171 million barrels, it said then. 

-- With reporting by Winnie Zhu in Shanghai. Editors: Ang Bee Lin, John Viljoen. To contact the reporter on this story: Wang Ying in Beijing at ywang30@bloomberg.net.

Sinking shipyard PAL to float on $60 million loan

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta | Fri, 11/21/2008 11:18 AM 

 

State-owned PT PAL Indonesia, the nation's largest shipyard, expects to receive US$60 million in loans that will be arranged by state asset management firm PT Perusahaan Pengelola Aset (PPA).

 

PAL is currently under a strict supervision from PPA in a restructuring program aimed at avoiding the company from closing.

 

PAL president director Harsusanto said on Thursday the loan would have a maturity period of 3.5 years and would be used for repairing equipment and dock facilities.

 

"We hope to receive the loan by December. But we realize the current economic situation is not very encouraging," he said.

 

PAL will still then need another $30 million injection to make it viable enough to keep going.

 

"We will try to get that money from other sources," He said at the Office of the State Ministry of State Enterprises.

 

PAL has been in financial trouble since it received a contract for the construction of 20 vessels, about two years ago, but at a fixed price. While costs of ship construction soared since that time, PAL could not adjust the production costs covered.

 

Secretary to the State Ministry of State Enterprises Said Didu said PAL still had a long way to go before receiving the loan.

 

"We must ensure first that companies under the PPA restructuring program have adequate cost-saving measures. We have asked PAL to revaluate several of their real expenses," he said.

 

Said cited the case of ailing state airline Merpati Airlines Nusantara, which requested a loan of Rp 560 billion (around $56 million), but then cut the request to Rp 300 billion after the government told the company to recalculate its expenses.

 

According to Said, there will be established a restructuring and revitalizing committee in PPA to ensure that any company requesting a government-sponsored loan is fit for such a facility and that the restructuring program will be carried out accordingly.

 

"The committee's members will be recruited from the ministry, the Finance Ministry and representatives from several related technical ministries," he said. (dis)

Stranded whales rescued in Australia

Welt Online, 23.November 2008, 08:29

 

11 pilot whales were successfully returned to sea on Saturday following a mass stranding on a beach in Tasmania, Australia. 64 whales in total stranded themselves on one of Tasmania's northern beach, prompting a day-long rescue effort. Environmentalists said that it was unusual to save any animals after such a large scale stranding.

 

 A day-long rescue effort returned 11 stranded whales to the sea between Tasmania and the Australian mainland Saturday evening (Picture: Okapia)

 

Australian wildlife rescuers on Sunday said they successfully returned a small number of pilot whales to the ocean after a mass stranding in Tasmania.

 

Environmentalists said it was unusual to save any whales after such a mass stranding

 

"We have successfully released 11 animals out to sea," Arthur told Reuters by telephone. "The last one went out less than 20 minutes ago."

 

While the possibility that the animals would strand themselves again could not be ruled out, he said, the hope was that they would instead join up with other pilot whales in the ocean. Some the whales have been tagged and aerial reconnaissance is planned to check on their progress.

 

"We have had a reasonable outcome. They will form a small pod. We have given them the best chance they have got," said Arthur, a regional officer with the Tasmanian state parks and wildlife service.

 

This maternal pod of 64 long-finned pilot whales, around one-third of them juveniles, were found stranded on Saturday along a stretch of Anthony's Beach at Stanley on the island's northwest coast, a site where repeated strandings have occurred in the past.

 

Pilot whales are among the smaller whales, typically up to about five metres in length and dark with a grey underbelly. Their relatively small size may have helped rescuers save them, environmentalists said.

 

Mass strandings of whales occur periodically in Australia and New Zealand for reasons that are not entirely understood. Theories include disturbance of echo-location, possibly by interference from sound produced by human activities at sea, a spokeswoman for the environmental group Greenpeace told Reuters.

 

In a statement, the state government said satellite trackers had been placed on some of the released whales and a reconnaissance plane would fly over the area on Monday to check on the whales' progress. Samples are to be taken from the dead whales and a mass burial organised.

Although wildlife officials and volunteers have often tried to save stranded whales, relatively few attempts have been succesful.

Related Article:

Toxin not seen in whale deaths

Disorientation Seen in Mass Australia Whale Deaths

Four-meter whale stranded in Garut

The Jakarta Post | Sat, 11/22/2008 3:15 PM  

A four-meter whale weighing about a ton was stranded at the coast of Karang Paranje in Garut, West Java, on Saturday. 

Dozens of spectators from local villages swarmed the the beach to watch the unusual event, kompas.com reported. 

Local government official, Didik Hendraya said that the local villagers tried to push back the whale to sea but with no avail as there were too many corals blocking access to a deeper sea. 

Spectators speculated that the whale was stranded to shore during the night when the sea level was higher due to moon gravitation. (and)

HUMBOLDT PENGUINS

The Jakarta Post

 

The Associated Press, Bogor | Thu, 11/20/2008 3:58 PM 

 

 

A women watches Humboldt penguins swim behind glass at Taman Safari in Bogor, West Java. (AP/Achmad Ibrahim)

RI, Aussie join patrol

The Jakarta Post, Tue, 11/18/2008 12:34 PM 

 

KUPANG, E. Nusa Tenggara: The Indonesian Navy and Royal Australian Navy are conducting a coordinated patrol exercise, dubbed Cassowary 2008, in the border area around the Timor Sea between Nov. 17-21.

 

Kupang navy-base spokesman Mayor Rolly Stephanus Rore, on behalf of the Kupang navy-base commander First Admiral Toto Permanto, said Monday that the patrol exercise was aimed at increasing cooperation between the two countries.

 

"The patrol exercise is aimed at preventing illegal fishing, illegal immigration and pirate practices along the countries' border," said Rolly, adding that Indonesia was using its KRI Hiu-804 vessel and Australia the Armidale vessel.

 

Rolly hoped that during the excercise, led by Lt. Col. Erwin, both countries would improve their skills.

 

Cooperation between the Indonesian and Australian navies was initiated in 1968 and formalized with the Indonesia-Australia Defense Cooperation program in the 1980s.

 

Unfortunately, cooperation faltered in 1999, when the two countries became involved in the former East Timor dispute.

 

Director of the West Timor Foundation, Ferdi Tanoni, stated on his press release that he hoped the patrol exercise would improve the two countries' proficiency in handling any sea-crimes and border-area disputes, adding that it would not threaten Indonesian fishermen.

Leaders to Forge New Plan to Protect Coral Triangle

Asian Development Bank (ADB)

MANILA, PHILIPPINES - Senior officials from six Asia-Pacific nations, whose territories include some of the most unique and threatened marine species in the world, are forging a comprehensive draft plan to protect these natural treasures. 

Representatives from Indonesia, Malaysia, Papua New Guinea, the Philippines, the Solomon Islands and Timor-Leste – the six countries that make up the so-called 'Coral Triangle' – are expected to finalize The Coral Reefs, Fisheries, and Food Security Plan of Action at a meeting to be held in Manila on Thursday. 

The Asian Development Bank (ADB) is hosting a parallel meeting of partner agencies that support the Coral Triangle Initiative. The Global Environment Facility (GEF), the United States and Australian Governments, and the environmental groups Conservation International, The Nature Conservancy and the World Wide Fund for Nature have all reaffirmed their strong support.

 

The Coral Triangle, dubbed the "Amazon of the Seas", covers a 5.7 million square kilometer expanse of ocean with 75% of all known coral species in the world.

 

This region is facing a grave threat from climate change, which many scientists believe is causing sea water temperatures to rise, bleaching and killing off reefs. Harmful fishing practices have also caused serious damage to vital ecosystems, with the rising sea level from climate change further threatening these resources in the longer run.

 

The Coral Triangle Initiative (CTI), a regional effort to preserve and manage the region’s marine resources, was launched last year by the six countries, along with international partners, including the ADB, which is coordinating the mobilization of financial support for the plan of action.

 

“Elements of the action plan are already getting underway, and it will be fully operational after its endorsement by leaders of the participating countries at a Coral Triangle Initiative Summit in Indonesia, planned for May 2009,” said David McCauley, ADB Principal Environment Specialist.

 

The plan focuses on a series of steps to protect and sustain marine life in the triangle. It will include local, national and regional projects that work towards common objectives agreed on by the countries.

 

ADB initially expects to implement three subprojects under the CTI plan, all of which will receive GEF funding.

 

One project in the Western Pacific region of the Coral Triangle will generate sustainable livelihoods for families depending on the sea for their income, and help address pressures on reefs and local fisheries. ADB will provide grant-financed technical assistance for the project, which will also include funding from the Government of Finland.

 

A second project will support Southeast Asian nations’ efforts to protect the marine environment, ensure that fishing remains sustainable, and develop models for the sustainable financing of marine protected areas through strengthened policies and institutions.

 

A third, triangle-wide project will support regional information exchange – including the latest scientific data on climate change – and will help strengthen country collaboration in carrying out the overall action plan, and in monitoring coastal and marine environments. ADB will provide regional technical assistance for this project.

 

About ADB

 

***

 

The Coral Triangle Initiative was launched in 2007 to foster improved coastal and marine resource management and adaptation to climate change in the region. The initiative has brought together governments, international agencies, nongovernmental agencies and the private sector for the purpose of protecting these environmentally and economically vital resources. The principal international partners supporting the program are the Global Environment Facility, the Asian Development Bank, the Governments of the United States and Australia and the environmental groups World Wide Fund for Nature, The Nature Conservancy and Conservation International. ADB serves as the lead agency for managing contributions to the program.

Illegal fishing causing N Sulawesi trilions of rupiah losses

By Eliswan Azly

 

Jakarta, (ANTARA News) - Illegal fishing committed by foreign poachers in Indonesian waters is no longer regarded as a public secret, as this largest archipelagic country in the world with its vast marine territory has difficulties detecting and capturing them.

 

According to a report issued recently by the marine and fisheries office of North Sulawesi, illegal fishing activity in the province's waters had caused the local administration to suffer a loss of trillions of rupiahs.

 

The illegal fishing actvities were committed by foreign poachers, mostly from the Philippines, Taiwan and China and some other neighboring countries that had no cooperation agreement with the government of Indonesia, Xandramayu Lalu, head of North Sulawesi province's marine and fisheries office, said here on Saturday.

 

In fact, the poachers often used high technology in fishing, causing difficulty to Indonesian patrol boats to detect their presence.

 

Xandramaya admitted some of the shortcomings in controlling the waters territory which is inseparable from a lack of patrol boats that could be deployed to watch over the activity of foreign poachers in that province's waters in particular and Indonesian waters in general.

 

The government likely let the task of sea control to the navy and water police, but they are often deceived by the activity of foreign fishing vessels.

 

In the meantime, North Sulawesi Governor Sarundajang SH said illegal fishermen in waters off North Sulawesi coasts applied various ways in their activities, including the use of explosives and bombs.

 

Consequently, many biota of the marine environment were damaged by illegal fishing activity which tended to use explosives, said Sarundajang who was formerly inspector general at the home affairs ministry.

 

However, he fully supported strong actions taken by the water police and navy in capturing foreign fishing vessels found poaching in waters off the province's coasts.

 

"Illegal fishing committed by foreign fishermen in Indonesian waters off North Sulawesi coasts has inflicted great losses on the state and therefore they should be hunted and captured for having violated Indonesian law," he said on Friday.

 

The capture of foreign fishing vessels was actually a manifestation of the police's responsibility in upholding security at sea, as poaching was now rife.

 

Furthermore, Sarundajang said his side continued to make better bilateral coordination and communication with the Philippine government in the context of sea control designed to curb illegal fishing and other crimes on sea.

 

The government themselves have actually formed Boarding Crossing Area (BCA) in Indonesia-Philippine border in a bid to foster better security and trade.

 

However, the governor wanted to find out a tip saying that illegal fishing action was inseparable from the corrupt mentality of local government officials who allegedly issued illegal and fake document and others.

 

Sarundajang also called on the community to report on a possible violation perpetuated by local government officials to the district head, mayor to let legal mechanism run expected.

 

More tragic is that poachers have shown no fear of Indonesian sea patrols, who are either outnumbered or poorly armed, director general of monitoring and control at the ministry, Aji Sularso, said earlier.

 

"The illegal fishermen show no respect for our national law. The shoot-and-sink policy will be part of a show of force to deter them," he said.

 

Aji said illegal fishing had become out of control, as it was "threatening Indonesia's economic and territorial sovereignty".

 

Under Indonesian fishery Law No. 31/2004 on fisheries, the ministry's patrol guards are authorized to carry guns. But in particular, the law concerned is designed to accommodate the needs and challenges of developing the fishing industry and to prevent, deter and eliminate illegal fishing.

 

The Indonesian government has been criticized for being "too lenient" in releasing and allowing Filipino fishermen to repatriate and reunite with their families. They would usually give one of two reasons, either citing humanitarian reasons or a lack of funds to provide basic needs and shelter.

 

In addition, hundreds of confiscated foreign-flagged fishing vessels are now crowding dozens of seaports across Indonesia.

 

They are corroding, if not sinking and already wrecked, while waiting for legal processing, which could take years to complete. But no specific budget has been allocated for their maintenance.

 

Indonesia, which loses Rp 30 trillion a year to poaching, is desperate to beef up its fishery patrol fleet, which currently consists of only 21 vessels. Securing the fishing boats could at least reduce the losses the country suffers.

 

Last year the government established five ad hoc fishery courts in Jakarta, Medan (North Sumatra), Pontianak, Tual island in Maluku and Bitung (North Sulawesi) in a bid to cut short the prolonged legal process against poachers, particularly those from overseas.

 

However, the ad hoc courts do not help achieve the goal as law enforcers are often divided over how to settle poaching cases.

 

Maintaining this policy would risk Indonesia's interest, not only will it send the wrong message on how Indonesia upholds the law, but it could also lead to an increase in the frequency of IUU in Indonesia.

 

Unfortunately, until now Indonesia has not established a special committee to deal with illegal fishing cases. The government tends to rely on a sectoral approach in handling such cases. Coordination between related government agencies is weak and would not be applied on a regular basis. A fisheries court has not been established either.

 

Indonesia and the Philippines have established a mechanism of Joint Commission on bilateral cooperation. The two countries have also signed a MoU on Marine and Fisheries Cooperation in General Santos, the Philippines, on Feb. 23, 2006.

 

However, the two countries have not yet established a bilateral arrangement to table particular issues of fishermen.

Help on the way to dredge city waterways

Tifa Asrianti, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta  | Sat, 11/15/2008 11:04 AM  

The Netherlands is sending two heavy dredging machines to Jakarta in order to help the city tackle flooding. 

Team leader of the Dutch Assistance Jakarta Flood Management Pilot Dredging Project, Peter Vroege, said the equipment would be used for two narrow and shallow waterways, the Mati and Pademangan canals in North Jakarta. 

The city administration expects to dredge between 20,000 and 30,000 cubic meters of mud from Mati and Pademangan canals. Mati canal is 2,000 meters long and 12 meters wide, while Pademangan is 2,000 meters long and 2-3 meters wide. 

Vroege said his team would operate the dredging equipment, dubbed floating bulldozers, for three months, from Nov. 24 to February, before giving them to the city administration. 

"We will train the officers at the public works agency so they will be able to operate the equipment on other waterways," he said, adding that the equipment had been used for the last 25 years in the Netherlands. 

Jakarta Public Works Agency head Wisnu Subagyo Yusuf said the pilot project would teach the Jakarta administration the best way to dredge small waterways using the equipment. 

"It doesn't mean the equipment can stop flooding though. It works best on small waterways," he said. 

The equipment is worth 700,000 euros, consisting of one medium-sized floating bulldozer, one small-sized floating bulldozer, spare parts and a rotating drum, which will separate the mud from garbage. 

The floating bulldozers push the mud up to the excavator and rotating drum, and then pack the mud into dump trucks. The mud will be put on a two-hectare plot of land belonging to beach management company PT Pembangunan Jaya Ancol. 

To finance the operational costs, the city administration has allocated Rp 1.5 billion in the 2008 revised budget. The budget will cover the cost of diesel for the bulldozers and trucks as well as the cost of establishing an office for the training session. 

Vroege said the equipment arriving at Tanjung Priok Port was a substitute before the new equipment arrived in early January, adding that his team would finish the tender process for the new equipment by next week. 

"However, we must start dredging before the rainy season. We shipped one machine to see if it fit in the waterways and to make some adjustment. So that when the equipment arrives, we can operate them straight away," he said. 

Besides dredging the waterways, the Pilot Dredging Project will also involve the public in the flood mitigation plan. 

"We will hold a neighborhood cleaning program so that communities living near the waterways can clean small canals and gutters in their neighborhood. We will also hold solid waste management to reduce waste from the sources," Vroege said.

Jet skier's family raises search funds

Indah Setiawati, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta | Thu, 11/13/2008 10:36 AM 

 

The family of veteran jet skier Jeremy Hoyland, who went missing in Bali last month, is raising funds for another rescue operation, saying they have faith that the jet-ski race official at the Asian Beach Games is still alive.

 

A charity concert was scheduled to be held at St. John's Junior School in Penistone, UK, on Wednesday, where Jeremy's daughters Georgia, 11, and Ellena, 13, are set to sing. Georgia is a student a the school and Ellena used to study there.

 

Their mother Jacqui Hoyland pledged to continue all attempts to find the father of two young girls.

 

"I have a private company which will stand *100,000 more and I will spend it all. I will not stop until I find him. I'm a realist, but I have to know either way. I have to bring him home -- alive or dead. I have to do that for my daughters at least," Jacqui said earlier this week as quoted by British daily Yorkshire Post.

 

On Oct. 24, 2008, Jeremy went missing on a jet-ski trip to Tanjung Benoa near Nusa Dua, Bali, from Nusa Lembongan Island, where he had gone on a borrowed jet ski with friends before being due to officiate at a race.

 

The first ever Asian Beach Games, from Oct. 18 to Oct. 26, 2008, was attended by at least 3,000 athletes and officials from 43 countries.

 

After staying in Bali for 11 days to join the search in Bali, Jacqui reportedly appealed, to no avail, for help from the UK government to persuade the Indonesian authorities to act more, after the massive search was called off after seven days.

 

"I only found out at the weekend that they stopped looking for Jeremy on October 31. I'm absolutely devastated. I know that if he is alive, Jeremy will not give in. But I understand that every day that goes by, our chance of finding him is slipping away," she told the newspaper.

 

Bali Search and Rescue (SAR) team chief Ketut Parwa said standard procedure for locating a missing person stipulated a seven-day search window, starting from the day the person was reported missing. He added the team, aided by Indonesian police, the Military and local residents, had done their utmost during the search.

 

"Our helicopters even searched all the way to Sumbawa Island, you know, and still we found nothing. Right now, we are monitoring the radio airwaves and informing vessels and local residents to report to us or nearby police on any signs of Jeremy's presence," he told The Jakarta Post on Tuesday.

 

Sumbawa is an island near Lombok in West Nusa Tenggara Province, east of Bali.

 

Parwa said if the family still wanted to look for Jeremy, they would have to fund the operation themselves.

 

"We cannot take part if they still want to look for him," he said.

 

He added seven helicopters and four boats had been deployed during the seven-day search. To date, there are no reports of wreckage from the jet ski.

 

The family has set up a website, jeremyhoylandrescue.myblogsite.com, and a Facebook account that provide information on donating money and sending encouraging support messages to the family.

 

A post titled "Please keep Jeremy Hoyland in your prayer" uploaded on www.pwcforums.co.uk, also invites responses since Jeremy's daughters participate in the forum.

 

"Every night we light him a candle so he can see his way home," Jacqui said.