Illegally Fishing, Malaysian-Flagged Fishing Vessel Captured

TheIndonesia.co - The Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries reported it has captured one Malaysian-flagged fishing vessel in Malacca Strait for illegal fishing.

Director general of marine and fisheries resources surveillance (PSDKP) at the Ministry, Rear Adm. Adin Nurawaluddin, said the capture took place during the first patrol operation in 2022 on Saturday, January 15.

“We can announce that during the patrol of fishery surveillance vessel Hiu 08, commanded by Captain Hendro Andaria, Malaysian-flagged fishing vessel PKFB 1337 was captured,” Nurawaluddin said in a statement on Saturday.

The vessel, he said, tried to escape the arrest but failed. And upon the arrest, the marine and fisheries resources surveillance unit in Dumai, Riau, will be handling the next proceedings.

“Investigation is taking place for further legal process,” the director general confirmed.

Furthermore, director of fleet monitoring and operations Pung Nugroho Saksono said the vessel used trawl to catch fish within the Indonesian waters. And the modus used by the crew was also quite common which is by employing Indonesian fishermen in their illegal fishing activity.

“We also arrested 5 [local] fishers, and we will continue to educate them to prevent future involvement in the illegal practice,” Saksono said.

Earlier this week, warships KRI Tjiptadi-381 and KRI Tuanku Imam Bonjol-383 BKO Marine Combat Group Fleet Commander I of the Indonesian Navy captured three foreign fishing vessels with Vietnamese flags in the North Natuna Sea on Tuesday. The three foreign vessels were suspected of illegal fishing within Indonesia’s exclusive economic zone.

The Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries has repeatedly affirmed their commitment in combating illegal fishing in Indonesian waters, and Minister Sakti Wahyu Trenggono also confirmed that he planned to add more fishery surveillance vessels for his office to monitor areas where illegal fishing frequently happened.