Ministry Revokes Boat Fishing Permits in Batam
2 October 2014 09:02 WIB
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta – The Directorate General of Fishery at the Indonesian Marine and Fisheries Ministry will temporarily freeze the fishing permits of 100 boats beginning next week. The decision was made after cases of violations, including the continued existence of foreign crew on board Indonesian ships, kept happening.
"[These are] Indonesia-flagged ships, so of course the permits are owned by Indonesian entities or individuals," director-general Gellwynn Yusuf told Tempo yesterday.
Gellwyn said Indonesian-flagged ships that have no foreign shares in them can no longer employ foreign workers, in accordance with the Fishery Law.
"Ships that will have their permits revoked are 30-gross ton (GT) types, located in the west of Batam or Natuna," he said.
Gellwynn admitted that the revocation might cause polemics, as there are three laws that regulate the operations of fishing boats: the Fishing Law, the Sailing Law, and the Labour Law.
Gellwynn said that the Ministry of Marine and Fisheries has preciously frozen the permits of 88 130-GT ships in Eastern Indonesia. "It was done over similar violations, which is employing foreign crew," he said.
The Indonesian National Shipowners Association (INSA) said that the cabotage principle (domestic ship protection) has been applied since the issuance of Law No.17/2008 on Marine Voyage. "It stipulates the prohibition of having foreign crew on board Indonesian-flagged vessels," INSA chief Carmelita Hartoto told Tempo yesterday.
MARIA YUNIAR | HUSSEIN ABRI YUSUF | ANTARA
