Trawlers illegally prowl Medan coast

MEDAN, North Sumatra: About 125 trawlers have been violating a government ban by operating in the western waters of the province, ruining the livelihood of many traditional fishermen.

Tamsar Hutagalung, the leader of a group of local fishermen, said the trawlers had been banned from the area since 1980 because they caught fish indiscriminately and ruined the environment. The trawlers still operate around Central Tapanuli waters, including Ilik island, Mursala, Sorkam and Barus subdistricts and as far as the South Tapanuli area, Tamsar was quoted by Antara as saying Monday.

"We are afraid that local fishermen will not be able to fish anymore," he said, adding that before the trawlers operated, local fishermen earned about Rp 30,000 per day. Now they counted themselves lucky if they could earn Rp 7,500 (less than US$1) a day.

Most trawlers operating in the area are owned by big businesses in the province. (swe)