Indonesia Sinks 10 Illegal Fishing Vessels

Jakarta Globe, Alin Almanar, December 31, 2015

Susi Pudjiastuti, the minister for maritime affairs and fisheries, visits impounded
 illegal foreign fishing vessels in Kubu Raya district, West Kalimantan. (Antara
Photo/Jessica Helena Wuysang)

Jakarta. Indonesian authorities on Thursday simultaneously sank ten foreign and local fishing boats caught operating illegally in the archipelago's vast waters, in the government's latest move in its war on illegal fishing.

Among the foreign vessels destroyed that day, two were Philippine-flagged boats carrying 16 and three Filipino fishermen respectively; another two hailed from Malaysia, each with a crew of 22 consisting of Malaysian and Myanmar nationals.

The latter two were caught with a total of 19 tons of fish.

The remaining were Indonesian fishing boats that had employed a crew of 44 Filipinos combined.

The vessels were sunk in four separate locations: six in the waters of Tahuna district off the coast of North Sulawesi; two in Tarakan, North Kalimantan; one in Belawan, North Sumatra; and another in Ranai, Riau.

"We will continue to take firm actions against boats caught fishing illegally in Indonesian waters as per the president's instructions," said First Adm. M. Zainudin, spokesman for the Indonesian Navy.

Upon taking office last October, President Joko Widodo instructed authorities to take drastic measures in tackling illegal and unreported fishing, which lead to dozens of ships from neighboring countries being destroyed.

According to government estimates, illegal fishing is costing the state some Rp 300 trillion ($21.68 billion) annually.