Indonesia Steps Up Fight Against Illegal Fishing With 4 New Ships

Jakarta Globe, Jan 12, 2015

Jakarta. Indonesia will have four new surveillance vessels at its disposal this year to fight illegal fishing in the country’s waters, an official with the Marine Affairs and Fisheries Ministry said on Monday.

“This year, the ministry will strengthen its surveillance force by adding four 60-meter vessels made by the Indonesian Fisheries Inspection Vessel System [SKIPI],” Asep Burhanuddin, the director of the ministry’s Maritime and Fisheries Resources Monitoring Task Force (PSDKP), said on Monday in Jakarta, as quoted by state-run news agency Antara.com.

Asep said that the plan was part of the government’s push to eradicate illegal fishing and other activities threatening the country’s maritime resources.

According to Asep, the four new surveillance vessels will operate in various parts of the archipelago.

“Two will operate in the western region, while the other two will watch over the eastern area —  likely in the Arafura Sea, North Sulawesi waters [both in the east], Natuna Islands and Malacca Strait [in the west of the archipelago],” he said.

According to Asep, the four vessels cost about Rp 238 billion ($18.8 million).

Previously, the Indonesian Air Force said it would buy Russian-designed multipurpose amphibious aircraft to help prevent illegal fishing.

“This Beriev Be-200 Altair is very reliable to monitor aquatic areas. The amphibious aircraft can land on the sea so it can help us catch illegal fishermen,” Marshall Ida Bagus Putu Dunia, the chief of the Indonesian Air Force (TNI-AU), told reporters in December.

Indonesia has recently also scuttled a number of foreign fishing vessels caught in its waters.