Susi Hopes To See Elimination Of Illegal Fishing In Several Years

Kotabaru, Dec 15 (Antara) - Marine and Fisheries Minister Susi Pudjiastuti said Indonesia would be able to eliminate illegal fishing in the next several years. However, for that purpose, the government need to keep firm action against foreign fishing vessels operating illegally in Indonesian waters, Susi said when attending an archipelago day ceremony here on Sunday. Tough measure is needed to deal with foreign fishing vessels stealing from out sea territory regardless of the nationality, she said. "No reason for concerns about the impact on bilateral relations. We are dealing with thieves not foreign nations," she said, adding "we treat all fish thieves equally." For years foreign fishing vessels have been allowed much freedom to operate illegally in the country causing potential losses of hundreds of trillion rupiahs a year, she said. She said the impact of the sinking recently of a number of foreign fishing vessels found illegally operating in the sea off Natuna, Riau Islands, was concrete. There were around 1,200 foreign fishing vessels operating illegally everyday in the sea off Natuna , but the number has narrowed from day to day after the government showed that it was determined to carry out its policy. Currently there were only 138 foreign vessels known still operating illegally in that area, she said. "I don`t know whether they are hiding or have lost courage to risk being caught , but the fact is that most of them are no longer seen in out sea territory," she said. She said big fishing vessels of more than 200 GT from China and Thailand had been found flying the Indonesian flag to cheat the Indonesian authorities . "But we have coordinated with the military and police to go after them . We chased them away and some of them were caught. Only this morning I received a message from the navy chief that a foreign fishing vessels was caught off Natuna," she said. The authorities - the military, police and the related agencies must continue to work hard, she said. "There must be no relaxation in the fight against those stealing or marine wealth," she said Meanwhile, the marine and fisheries ministry and the navy had sent seven warships to the sea of Aarafura, to go after fish stealing foreign fishing vessels. "The number of foreign fishing vessels has been reduced much in the sea off Natuna, but there are still many in the Arafura sea, Susi said. The navy already caught a Thai fishing vessel off Makassar on Monday morning, she said.