Patrol boats to protect Babel waters

Patrol boats to protect Babel waters

PALEMBANG, South Sumatra: Palembang Police spokesman Comr.. Arum Priyono said on Thursday that police patrol boats formerly deployed in West Kalimantan were currently patrolling the waters of Bangka-Belitung (Babel) to prevent foreign fishermen from pillaging the province's marine resources.

Arum said the waters would also be safeguarded by commissioning patrol boats from South Sumatra's Sea and Air Police and from the local naval base.

He revealed that the deployment of more vessels on the waters was due to the blatant acts of brutality and increasing number of foreign fishing boats fishing in the seas around the islands.

According to him local fishermen were reluctant to go to sea for fear of being attacked by foreign fishermen who would usually ram their bigger vessels into local fishermen's boats.--Antara