Angry fishermen burn fishing boats

Angry fishermen burn fishing boats

SERANG, Banten: Hundreds of enraged fishermen in Pasauran, Serang regency, Banten went on a rampage on Monday and Tuesday, burning four fishing boats they suspected of using trawls for fishing.

Eyewitnesses said the fishermen were angry because their income had declined significantly in the past few months as more and more fishing boats used trawls to catch fish in the area.

But according to Husen, owner of one of the burned boats, were returning to Labuan after fishing for four days in Lampung waters.

"All of a sudden, some 30 fishing boats stopped us and forced us to go to the shoreline. After transferring us to another boat, they poured gasoline on my boat and burned it," Husen was quoted by Antara as saying on Wednesday.

"We did not fish there, we returned to Labuan to sell our catch," he insisted.

Cinangka police chief Andrey Nabu said the cases were now handled by the water and air police in Merak.

He also called on local fishermen not to take the law into their own hands. -- Antara