RI, A'LIA TO TAKE JOINT ACTIONS AGAINST ILLEGAL FISHING

Nusa Dua, March 19 (ANTARA) - Indonesia and Australia will implement an action plan to eradicate illegal fishing activities and conduct joint patrols on their common sea borders.
The decision was made at a meeting here Thursday between representatives of the two countries' marine resources and fisheries ministries.
The Indonesian delegation to the meeting was led by Suseno Sukoyono of the marine resources and fisheries ministry, and the Australian delegation by Craig Burne of the agriculture, fisheries and forestry ministry.
The meeting was held by the Indonesia-Australia Working Group on Fisheries and Marine Resources which had convened several times in the past to forge an agreement for bilateral cooperation in sea fisheries, trade in marine products and fishing activity.
The group's previous meeting took place in Canberra in March 2007 which was followed by a meeting of a smaller team in the same place in November.
"With regard to fighting illegal fishing the two countries agreed to conduct anti-illegal fishing campaign in the Indonesian eastern region. They also agreed to conduct joint patrols in the sea bordering the two countries," Sukoyono said.
He said among the activities in the action plan were training for crew of registered fishing vessels on how to use radio frequency and a maritime communications radio.
He said the two countries also agreed to safeguard and secure supply of certain fish which was an important commodity fow world trade such as "Lutjanus Malabaricus" and "Pistipomoides sp." species.
"No less important is the issue of traditional fishing. The term "traditional" is preferred by Indonesia while Australia prefers categorizing fishing activity based upon the equipment used for it. The issue still has yet to be further discussed in Surabaya next May," he said.
Regarding the issue of traditional fishermen, Indonesia has so far been on the losing side in view of the arrests Australia has so far made on the country's traditional fishermen.
He said many traditional fishermen from Rote Island or other regions in the country that had been arrested by Australia were not treated well.
For older generation of traditional fishermen of Rote Island, Pulau Pasir alias Ashmore Island located south of Pulau Dana in the province of East Nusa Tenggara is their traditional fishing ground.
They used to collet a lot of sea shrimps, cucumbers as well as other fish species that could cost much found in the area. Their activity however now runs against several maritime border agreements that have been made by the two countries.
This is where traditional fishermen's interest of fishing for livelihood clashes with the interest of enforcing sovereignty and laws, he said.