RI protests fishing-boat sinkings

Sat, 19 Jun 2004 | Source: DPA

AUSTRALIA: Indonesia has lodged a formal protest over a crackdown on poaching by Australian authorities that led to last month's sinking of two Indonesian fishing boats and the repatriation of their crews from Darwin, news reports said on Friday.

Indonesian ambassador to Canberra Imron Cotan requested an explanation of the new policy, under which offending vessels are sunk, the Sydney Morning Herald reported.

Previously, boats were impounded and crews held aboard until their cases had gone to court, after which the Indonesian owners could repossess their boats.

Canberra officials said the change in policy reflected the increasing size and sophistication of Indonesian trawlers caught poaching in Australian waters. -- DPA

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