TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The Marine and Fishery Affairs Ministry's Resources Monitoring Base (PSDKP) in Batam said that 29 foreign ships have been captured in the waters of Natuna. Six of those ships were captured in 2016.
"The remaining 23 ships were captured this year," said the PSDKP chief Slamet in Natuna, Sunday, August 6.
Slamet said the number of foreign ships captured in Natuna waters this year increased compared to last year. Throughout 2016, only 35 vessels were caught. Meanwhile, from January to July this year, 23 were captured.
According to Slamet, the largest foreign ship captured by the ministry weighs 230 gross tonnage (GT). "The model of the ship is Thailand but it carries a Vietnam flag," he said.
He also said that there are 64 foreign boat crew arrested in Natuna.
"These ships operate on the Indonesia-Malaysia border, and once our patrol ships arrive, they ran to the gray area," he said.
Read: Indonesia to Sink 70 Illegal Foreign Fishing Boats in April
According to Slamet many foreign ships sail in Indonesia using flags that are not their own.
He added that the 29 foreign ships and their crew members currently being held at Natuna are being investigated or tried. When their legal statuses are confirmed and decided, the PSDKP will wait for the ministry's instruction to sink the boats.
ANGELINA ANJAR SAWITRI