Need National Consensus of Sinking of Illegal Fishing Vessels: Minister

Jakarta, June 22 (Antara) -- Minister of Fisheries and Marine Resources Susi Pudjiastuti has called for a national consensus on the sinking illegal fishing boats to boost the effectiveness of the policy. "There should be a national consensus on the sinking of illegal vessels," she said during a discussion on food here on Monday. If an illegal fishing boat carrying catch worth billion rupiahs is fined just Rp200 million by a court, it will only invite several others to poach fish in Indonesian waters, she explained. The minister was clearly referring to the case of Chinese boat MV Hai Fa that was recently fined Rp200 million for poaching fish worth billion of rupiahs and then released. Pudjiastuti reiterated that President Joko Widodo, the country's highest leader, had already firmly stated that boats found fishing illegally in the country's waters must be confiscated and sunk. In view of that, she added that all agencies must implement the policy. National consensus on the policy will not mean interfering in courts' operations, Pudjiastuti affirmed. Of the 41 boats that were sunk in May 2015, 40 were caught during the administration of President Joko Widodo and only one was caught in 2009, she revealed. Furthermore, the minister expressed her deep disappointment over the court's decision to fine MV Hai Fa only Rp200 million. It has now returned to China. She also denied allegations that the policy of sinking illegal fishing boats was being used by the government merely to promote its image, adding that firm action was required against illegal fishing practices. "I shut down those who accused President Joko Widodo's government of merely wishing to promote its reputation by issuing the policy," she emphasized at a meeting with Commission IV of the House of Representatives on Tuesday last week (June 16). In addition, the minister expressed her disappointment over the fact that a number of people still considered the policy a sham to promote the government's reputation. Pudjiastuti reiterated that the policy was indeed a firm measure to protect the sovereignty of Indonesian territory. Moreover, she brought up the thousands of illegal fishing vessels still wandering across the country's waters poaching its fish catch. "Unless a shock therapy is administered, it is impossible for us to drive them away," she remarked. The minister announced that she had decided to extend the moratorium on ship licensing to October 2015. So far, the Ministry of Fisheries and Marine Resources has verified 1,132 foreign ships and found that 907 of them failed to meet requirements. "I will not disclose those that failed because I am not a law enforcer," she said. However, she pointed out that any party wishing to hold a public hearing on the issue would be given the necessary facilities. To follow-up on the moratorium, she affirmed that her office will expedite the issuance of a government regulation on fisheries surveillance as well as a presidential instruction on the eradication of illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing and the strengthening of means of supervision and facilities. Coordination among law enforcement agencies will be strengthened, and the competence of law enforcement personnel will also be improved, she pointed out, adding that catch quota and factual verification of the existence of fishery companies and business facilities will be regulated. "There are indications that 99 percent of foreign fishing vessels carried out IUU fishing," Pudjiastuti stated.