Councillor complains of illegal fishing

AMBON, Maluku: Golkar councillor Rahman Holle accused on Tuesday businesspeople from Java of illegally purchasing fish from Maluku, depriving the provincial government of needed revenue.

The businesspeople buy the fish directly from boats out at sea, thus avoiding having to pay taxes to the provincial government, said Rahman.

"The fish are then transported back to Java, especially East Java," he said.

The head of the Fisheries and Maritime Affairs Agency in Maluku, Romelus Far-Far, said his office was dispatching ships to try and end the illegal practice, but was having trouble because of the size of Maluku's waters. -- JP