Susi Pudjiastuti Leads Sinking of 21 Illegal Fishing Boats
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7 October 2019 07:20 WIB
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Minister Susi Pudjiastuti on Sunday, October 6, led the sinking of 21 foreign fishing boats that were caught illegally fishing over two areas in the Indonesian territory.
The ships that were sunk mainly consist of fishing boats flying the Vietnam flag that were caught fishing at Tanjung Datok in the Mempawah District and over the waters of Paloh at the Sambas District in West Kalimantan.
In the event, Susi Pudjiastuti asserts that the sinking is intended to act as a deterrent for other illegal fishing boats that notoriously continue to illegally fish over Indonesian waters.
“Indonesia’s seafood maritime products increased two-folds ever since the harsh punishments were applied,” said the Minister on Sunday.
Minister Susi Pudjiastuti also maintains that the public sinkings and the Ministry’s adamancy on capturing illegal fishing boats is to help local traditional Indonesian fishermen increase their catches. The government also plans to sink illegal ships caught in the waters of Natuna, Batam, and Belawan, increasing the tally of 41 illegal fishing boats.
ANTARA