KKP Tightens Supervision At WPPNRI 718 From Illegal Fishing

The Ministry of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries (KKP) has tightened supervision in the Government Fisheries Management Area of the Republic of Indonesia (WPPNRI) 718 including the Aru Sea, Arafura Sea, and East Timor Sea, from illegal fishing because it is the waters with the largest fishery potential.

Director General of Marine and Fishery Resources Supervision (PSDKP) KKP Pung Nugroho Saksono said his party was intensively monitoring fishing (illegal fishing) to keep fish resources safe from theft of marine products, especially at WPPNRI 718.

"PSDKP stipulates that WPPNRI 718 is one of the priority supervisory because it is prone to illegal fishing," said the Director General of PSDP KKP in a statement in Jakarta, Antara, Sunday, November 24.

Ipunk, the nickname of the Director General of PSDKP KKP, explained that the eradication of illegal fishing in Arafura waters continues to be strengthened through operations of surveillance vessels, air surveillance and compliance monitoring at Fisheries Ports.

Moreover, WPPNRI 718 is considered strategic and needs extra supervision because it borders three neighboring countries, namely Australia in the south, Timor Leste in the west, and Papua New Guinea in the east.

"The intensity of fishing at WPPNRI 718 must be closely monitored to ensure that fish resources are maintained and Lestari has a welfare impact on fishermen," he said.

The efforts of the Directorate General of PSDKP to increase supervision of the PIT Modeling Zone 3, by implementing an intensive surveillance strategy by placing the supervisory vessel at the IUU F vulnerable point at WPPNRI 718 and patrol planes on alert, if at any time there is a violation to be immediately prosecuted.

In addition, to anticipate reporting of catch results that are not in accordance with the provisions, monitoring of fish landings at the base port is also intensified by adding fisheries supervisory personnel in the field.

Tool support in the form of Regional Monitoring Center (RMC) at the Tual PSDKP Base is also prepared to further bring the control range of officers in the field closer so that indications of violations can be followed up more quickly.

In recent years, the supervision carried out by the Directorate General of PSDKP at WPPNRI 718 has succeeded in securing dozens of fishing vessels. Both Indonesian and foreign fishing vessels.

"In the period 2022 to 2023, there were 27 Indonesian Fishing Vessels (KII) that were successfully secured," he said.

Then, from January to October 2024, KKP managed to secure 29 KII and one foreign fishing boat (KIA), one of which was KIA with the Russian Vessel Motor (MV) RZ 03 flag which was secured in the Arafura Sea, in its operations assisted by two Indonesian Fish Transport Ships, namely KM MUS and KM Y which had been previously secured.

Ipunk said that the case had been processed legally and had permanent legal force (Incrah), against KIA RZ 03 was confiscated for the state and will be used as a KKP Supervisory Ship to strengthen the surveillance fleet.

"This is proof that the state is present, PSDKP is here to maintain the sovereignty of the Arafura sea," he said.

However, continued Ipunk, supervision at WPPNRI 718 cannot be carried out alone. It takes collaboration between other Law Enforcement Officials (APH) to work together to maintain Indonesia's sovereignty.

According to Ipunk, the synergy of strengthening supervision is carried out through joint patrols, data and information exchange, integrated use of surveillance modes, as well as handling marine and fisheries violations in a coordinated manner.

"This is where synergy between law enforcement officers is needed," said Ipunk.