Confiscated boats for migrants

Confiscated boats for migrants

SEMARANG, Central Java: The government has agreed to give
foreign fishing boats apprehended for violating Indonesian
territorial waters to fishermen set for transmigration.

"The President has given the green light to the idea, and now
his decree on the matter is awaited," Minister of Transmigration
and Resettlement of Forest Nomads AM Hendro Priyono said after a
meeting here Thursday.

He said that every year naval patrols confiscated many foreign
boats for violating Indonesian territorial waters. It would be
better if these vessels, mostly lying idle, be given to fishermen
after they have been transmigrated to new areas, he added as
quoted by Antara.

Two hundred and fifty six such boats have already been given
to fishermen in the last two years.