The Ministry Of Maritime Affairs And Fisheries Delays Patrols With Australian Border Forces, Here's Why

JAKARTA - The Ministry of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries (KKP) has given a firm response to the Australian authorities regarding the burning of three Indonesian fishing boats, by suspending joint patrols of the KKP with the Australian Border Force (ABF).

"This is a response to the developments, we will postpone the joint patrols with Jawline-Arafura," said Director General of Marine and Fishery Resources Supervision (PSDKP), Rear Admiral TNI Adin Nurawaluddin, in a press release in Jakarta, Monday, November 8.

He stated that the Jawline-Arafura itself is a joint patrol of the ABF and the Directorate General of PSDKP KKP carried out at the Indonesia-Australia border.

The operation, he continued, mobilized the assets of surveillance vessels and monitoring aircraft owned by both parties in the context of handling vulnerabilities in the border areas of the two countries. "It should have been carried out this week, but with the current developments, we are waiting for an official explanation from the ABF," said Adin.

Adin said that the explanation from the ABF was important to avoid confusing information regarding the identities of the three ships that were burned and the 13 other ships that were expelled from Australian waters.

Adin further explained that his party had communicated with ABF representatives in Jakarta to obtain more detailed information regarding the incident and the ships that had been burned. "We have communicated with ABF representatives in Jakarta," said Adin as reported by Antara.

Previously, the Minister of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries, Sakti Wahyu Trenggono, also conveyed the importance of the state's role in controlling fishing vessels as an effort to maintain the sustainability of marine and fishery resources. Minister Trenggono also asked the ranks of the Directorate General of PSDKP to carry out strict supervision to ensure the compliance of business actors in the marine and fisheries sector.

As is known, based on news circulating, the Australian authorities reportedly set fire to three fishing boats from Indonesia from 16 fishing boats caught by the Australian authorities while carrying out illegal fishing activities for sea cucumbers in the Rowley Shoals Marine Park conservation area, Western Australia.

For this action, Skaka postponed the previously scheduled patrol of the Ministry of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries with the Australian Border Force (ABF).