TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The Ministry of Marine and Fishery Affairs (KKP) captured two Malaysian-flagged fishing boats Monday, March 11, at 10:15 local times for alleged illegal fishing in Malacca Strait.

“Both ships are captured due to illegal fishing, without a permit issued by the Indonesian government and used forbidden fishing tools, trawls,” said the Ministry's Resources Monitoring Base (PSDKP) acting director Agus Suherman in a statement Monday, March 11.

Earlier, the ministry seized an illegal fishing boat from Vietnam on Friday, March 8 in the Exclusive Economic Zone of North Natuna Sea. Throughout January until March 2019, a total of 15 illegal boats were caught for fishing in Indonesian waters.

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Agus explained that the two boats were KM. PKFB 1109 weighing 50.99 gross tonnages (GT) with four crew members of Myanmar nationals and KM. PPF 634 weighing 49.07 GT with five Myanmar crews.

The boats were escorted to PSDKP Belawan Station, North Sumatra, and were expected to arrive at 10:00 local times today, March 12 for legal proceedings led by civil servant investigators (PPNS) for fisheries affairs.

As referred to the Law No. 31 of 2004 concerning fisheries as amended by Law No. 45 of 2009, perpetrators of illegal fishing could be charged with a maximum of six years imprisonment and a fine of Rp20 billion.

DIAS PRASONGKO