Maluku fishermen detained in Australia

Maluku fishermen detained in Australia

AMBON, Maluku: At least 80 fishermen from Maluku are being held
and prosecuted in Australia for illegal fishing, a senior
official said on Saturday.

The fishermen are among some 660 Indonesian fishermen who have
been arrested by the Australian authorities for illegal fishing
since January, said Alex Retraubun, the director of small islands
affairs at the Ministry of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries.

"This is a serious matter and the government is working on a
strategy to resolve it," said Alex during a visit to Ambon on
Saturday.

Separately, 10 fishermen from Dobo, Aru islands, Maluku, were
deported by the Australian government. They had been detained for
fishing in Australian waters without a permit. The fishermen
arrived in Ambon city on April 26, but it is unclear whether they
have returned home.

Sartono Pining, a welfare official with the Maluku provincial
administration, said on Saturday that many Aru islands fishermen
were being held by the Australian authorities, as the waters of
the Aru islands border Australian waters.

He said the fishermen did not have sophisticated equipment and
were often unaware when they crossed into Australian waters. --
JP