Foreign boats apprehended

Foreign boats apprehended

MANADO, North Sulawesi: A total of 88 foreign fishing boats
have been apprehended by Indonesian warships on different
occasions in the April-December 1996 period, Bitung naval base
commandant Colonel Herry B. Opit said in Manado last week.

Most of the fishing boats came from the Philippines and were
illegally fishing in Indonesian territorial waters.

Some of the 88 boats were operated by Indonesians without
permits. Investigations of 83 of the boats have finished; with
some being released and their Filipino crews repatriated.

The remaining boats are still under investigation.

The Philippine fishing boats were generally 15 to 18 meters
long with the holding capacity for three to eight tons of fish.
(swe)