Indonesia to Sink 30 Illegal Fishing Boats
Indonesian Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Minister Susi Pudjiastuti has said Jakarta was ready to sink 30 foreign-flagged vessels caught fishing illegally in Indonesian waters, following a schedule being arranged by the authorities, says the Straits Times.
"Indonesia will not compromise with, and will be very tough in taking action against and in arresting foreign vessels caught fishing illegally in Indonesian waters. The violation committed by the 30 vessels is illegal fishing," she said.
Susi also revealed that the Indonesian Navy's Western Fleet had arrested three Vietnamese-flagged vessels for illegal fishing in Indonesian territory, in the latest incident of its kind.
The minister explained that the practice of sinking foreign vessels caught poaching was also followed by other countries.
Indonesia has repatriated 27 Cambodian “victims of human trafficking” who were employed on board vessels accused of fishing illegally in the archipelago’s waters off Borneo island.
Malfa Asdi, chief of West Kalimantan province’s immigration office, was quoted by kompas.com as saying Tuesday, “those deported are the crew and they were victims [of human trafficking]."
Under Indonesia’s strict policy against illegal fishing, the government sinks boats found guilty of violations and has repatriated hundreds of crew -- mostly from Myanmar and Cambodia -- forced to work in “slave-like” conditions over the past year.
