NTB Police Name 11 Fishermen Suspected In Fish Bombing Case

The police showed evidence and 11 suspects from among fishermen in the alleged case of bombing fish in Bima waters (ANTARA/Dhimas B.P.)

Investigators from the Directorate of Water and Air Police (Ditpolairud) of the West Nusa Tenggara (NTB) Police have named 11 fishermen as suspects in the alleged case of bombing fish in the waters of Kelapa Island and Rano Bay in Bima Regency.

"From our series of investigations, we have named these 11 fishermen as suspects by referring to the emergency laws and fisheries laws. For the legal process, it is still in the filing process," said Director of Water and Air Police (Dirpolairud) Polda NTB Kombes Kobul Syahrin Ritonga in Mataram as reported by ANTARA, Thursday, June 8.

The criminal rule that stipulates 11 fishermen as suspects is related to Article 1 paragraph (1) of the Emergency Law Number 12 of 1951 and/or Article 84 paragraph (1) in conjunction with Article 8 paragraph (1) of the Republic of Indonesia Law Number 31 of 2004 as amended by Law no. 45/2009 concerning Fisheries.

"If in the emergency law, the threat of punishment, the death penalty or life imprisonment. If the fisheries law can be sentenced to six years in prison and a maximum fine of Rp. 1.2 billion," he said.

The 11 fishermen who were named suspects in the alleged fish bombing case had the initials HE, MU, TA, SU, NAS, SO, FA, AF, JU, JN, and SY. "They are all Bima residents who are fishermen every day," he said.

The police are handling this case based on the findings of the water patrol team at the momentum of the ASEAN Summit which took place in mid-May 2023 in Labuan Bajo, East Nusa Tenggara (NTT).

As a security buffer area for the ASEAN Summit, the NTB Police deployed polarirud personnel to activate water patrols in areas directly adjacent to the NTT Province.

"So, during the security momentum of the ASEAN Summit, the patrol team saw that three fishing boats were fishing near Kelapa Island," he said.

As a form of prevention of things that could disrupt the smooth running of the ASEAN Summit, the polarirud patrol team visited the three ships and found equipment related to fish bombing activities.

"When approached, it turned out that dozens of bottles containing powder were found which we should have suspected were a means to bomb fish in the sea," he said.

Kobul also emphasized that during the investigation, his party found the fish bomb equipment on the three fishing boats containing 11 suspects.

"In addition to the fish bomb device, there were also fish seized by the bombing and detonators to trigger controls and other fishing gear," said Kobul.

Head of Public Relations of the NTB Police, Kombes Arman Asmara Syarifuddin, said that the police in this matter did not only play a role in the prosecution process. Instead, it also promote prevention efforts by providing counseling by the polarirud patrol team.

"So we are still carrying out prevention efforts that can damage marine biota so that no more fishermen carry out fish bombings," said Arman.

He also hopes that this case can become a learning material for the community, especially for fishermen to be more concerned about the sustainability of marine life.

"Moreover, fishermen, those who depend on marine products. Therefore, it is important for all of us to maintain our marine conditions so that they remain good," he said.