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)