KKP Capture Illegal Foreign Ships From The Philippines In Papuan Biak Waters
BIAK - The Ministry of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries (KKP) has again arrested two illegal foreign fishing vessels from the Philippines along with 32 crew members in the waters of the North Pacific Ocean Biak, Papua.
The Director General of Marine and Fishery Resources Supervision of the KKP Pung Nugroho Saksono explained that the arrest of illegal fishing perpetrators in the Indonesia state fisheries management area 717 was carried out by the Tiger Shark Supervisory Vessel 04 with the captain Jendri Erwin Mamahit under the control of the Biak Marine and Fishery Resources Supervision Station (PSDKP).
Director General of PSDKP Pung Nugroho Saksono, who is familiarly called Ipunkitu, explained that the two vessels arrested labeled FB TWIN J-04 (130.12 GT) and FB YANREYD-293 (116 GT), came from the Philippines.
At the time of the termination and inspection, all of its crew members were Filipino citizens and the ship did not have permits from the Indonesian government, and a number of tuna and skipjack fish were found.
"So, the YANREYD ship as a transport ship with a catch of approximately 5 tons and a crew of 7 people. For TWIN J-04 as a fishing vessel, the cargo is about 10 kg skipjack and the crew is 25 people," he said as quoted by ANTARA, Friday, May 9.
In its operation, the ship uses large purchasing seine fishing gear. This tool is very productive for catching Tuna Tongkol and Cakalang (TTC) fish, even the baby tuna was caught.
This illegal activity certainly has a negative impact on the sustainability of fish resources and causes economic losses.
"From the results of this operation, the state loss that can be saved is IDR 50.4 billion," said the Director General of PSDKP.
This case will be criminally processed by PPNS Fisheries at PSDKP Biak.
Meanwhile, Director of Fleet Operations Control Syaiful added the modus operandi of the perpetrators, namely arresting in border areas, hitting and running to avoid officers, sometimes entering and leaving Indonesian waters, making it difficult to catch them.
During the arrest operation, the fishing vessels were carried out as a fleet unit.
"When arrested by KP Hiu Macan 04, the TWIN J 04 ship had just transferred the caught fish to the JENREYD carrier," continued Saiful.
The head of the Biak PSDKP Station, Mochamad Erwin, said that in the criminal process, PPNS would determine the suspect from the ship's captain.
The criminal threat in accordance with Law 6/2023 concerning Stipulation of Government Regulations in Lieu of Law Number 2 of 2022 concerning Job Creation, can be threatened with a maximum imprisonment of 6 (six) years and a maximum fine of IDR 30 billion.