Navy impounds 107 boats

Navy impounds 107 boats

SORONG, Irian Jaya: The navy has impounded 107 fishing boats operating illegally in the eastern waters over the past month, commandant of the marine battle unit of the eastern fleet, Commodore Ripa G. Prawirosastro, said yesterday.

Ripa said that 43 of the ships impounded during the ongoing Operasi Trisula IV that began last month belonged to foreign companies and the rest were Indonesian.

He told Antara that 18 of the foreign ships' crew members would be brought to trial because they violated Indonesian laws, such as incomplete documents and use of fishing equipment barred under local laws.

The Trisula Operation aims at tightening security in the eastern territorial waters, which are prone to poaching by foreign ships.(pan)