Minister vows to curb illegal fishing in RI<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Minister of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries
\nRokhmin Dahuri said on Tuesday that his office had prepared a set
\nof measures to curb illegal fishing by foreign vessels in the
\ncountry's territory.<\/p>\n
Rokhmin said the target was to greatly reduce the number of
\nillegal foreign fishing vessels operating in Indonesian waters.<\/p>\n
\"Of approximately 4,900 fishing vessels operating illegally in
\nthe country's waters (every year), we will reduce them by 25
\npercent this year and so on...,\" he said on the sidelines of a
\nhearing with the House of Representatives' Commission III for
\nagriculture and fisheries affairs.<\/p>\n
He said that illegal fishing activities cost the state US$1.4
\nbillion (Rp 1.3 trillion) in financial losses per year.<\/p>\n
The various measures include a reregistering of fishing
\nvessels operating in the country and the use of high-tech
\nsatellite communications devices, Rokhmin said, without
\nelaborating.<\/p>\n
According to the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of
\nthe Sea, foreign fishing vessels are allowed to enter the
\ncountry's exclusive economic zone (EEZ), but they must also abide
\nby Indonesian law.<\/p>\n
The Indonesian government imposes stringent ruling on foreign
\nfishing vessels operating in the EEZ, but has a more relaxed
\nstance for local fishing companies.<\/p>\n
According to the existing ruling, for example, foreign fishing
\nvessels entering the country's territory must pay a fee to the
\ngovernment.<\/p>\n
But Rokhmin said that many of the foreign vessels had bought
\nthe fishing licenses issued to local fishing companies to escape
\nthe tight ruling. He said that many local \"paper companies\" had
\nbeen given fishing licenses by the government, but would resell
\nthem to foreign fishing vessels.<\/p>\n
Rokhmin said that about 70 percent of 7,000 foreign vessels
\noperating in the country used the Indonesian flag to enable them
\nto freely fish local resources and sell them overseas.<\/p>\n
Fishing vessels flying the Indonesia flag could also obtain
\nsubsidized fuel from the government, he said.(dmr)<\/p>",
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