Minister Susi Suspects 300 Illegal Boats Operate in Indonesia
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9 April 2019 14:48 WIB
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Fisheries and Maritime Affairs Minister Susi Pudjiastuti suspects that there are around 300 boats that operate illegally over Indonesian waters.
“After looking into it today, there are 300 illegal foreign boats operating under the Indonesian flag,” said Minister Susi after participating as a key speaker in Sahid University Jakarta today, April 9.
The information she revealed follows an investigation by her ministry’s joint task force Satgas 115 on boats that are believed to operate in an undisclosed Indonesian ocean area with intentions to steal marine life within Indonesia’s border.
The task force suspects that the illegal fishing boats were able to do so with the help of corrupt local people that highly-possibly comprise of politicians, state apparatus, or even fishermen at sea.
Minister Susi Pudjiastuti warned that her ministry will not hesitate to impose firm punishments upon those that are caught guilty. She reminded that the Fisheries and Maritime Affairs Ministry would order an immediate sinking on those illegal fishing boats.
Up to this day, the ministry sank 488 foreign illegal fishing boats that were proven guilty by Court since 2015.
FRANCISCA CHRISTY ROSANA