Thailand Tells Indonesia It Will Tackle Illegal Fishing

Jakarta Globe,  Apr 23, 2015

Three Vietnamese fishing vessels were scuttled in the Natuna Sea near Anambas
 in Riau Islands, on Dec. 5, 2014, after allegedly being caught poaching. (Antara
Photo/Joko Sulistyo)

Jakarta. Joko Widodo and Thai Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha pledged on Thursday to solve the ongoing illegal fishing issues in Indonesian waters.

Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs Sofyan Djalil and Minister of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Susi Pudjiastuti were also present during the meeting.

“Thailand says it will solve illegal fishing issues and will sanction the companies conducting illegal fishing,” Susi told the state-run news agency Antara on Thursday.

There has yet to be a written commitment. Thailand did, however, say at the Asian-African Maritime Forum on Monday that it was committed to installing vessel-monitoring systems to track boat movements.

Joko Widodo has made illegal fishing a significant plank of his commitment to reform, emphasizing that Indonesia loses billions of dollars to foreign vessels encroaching on Indonesian waters.

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