KKP Captures Vietnam's Foreign Fishing Boat In North Natuna Sea, State Saves IDR 22.6 Billion

The Ministry of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries (KKP) has again caught a foreign fishing boat with a Vietnamese flag that was caught stealing fish in the waters of the North Natuna Sea, Riau Islands.

This is the sixth arrest throughout 2025 against foreign vessels carrying illegal fishing in the area.

The Director General of Marine and Fishery Resources Supervision (PSDKP) of the KKP Pung Nugroho Saksono said the Vietnamese-flagged vessel carried out fishing activities in the Government Fisheries Management Area of the Republic of Indonesia (WPPNRI) 711 without a valid permit.

"KKP has again succeeded in arresting a foreign fishing boat from Vietnam in the North Natuna Sea, so that a total of six foreign fishing vessels have been arrested this year," said Pung, who is familiarly called Ipunk at the Batam PSDKP Base, Riau Islands, Antara, Thursday, November 6.

The arrests occurred last Saturday, but due to technical problems, the PSDKP supervisory ship had to drag it from Natuna to Batam and only arrived Wednesday (5/11).

The Vietnamese fishing boat named HP 9213 TS with a size of 70 GT operates in the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) without licensing documents from the Indonesian government. KP Supervisory Ship officers Barakuda 01 secured three crew members, including Vietnamese captain.

According to Ipunk, the ship was arrested after being detected by the KKP commander and validated through air surveillance operations. The KP Barakuda 01 team, commanded by Captain Aldi Firmansyah, then pursued and succeeded in stopping the ship at around 00.41 WIB.

The ship is known to use trawler or base trawler fishing gear, which is prohibited in Indonesia for damaging marine ecosystems.

Actually, this fishing gear is operated with two attractive vessels. One ship has escaped to the country with the catch, while this one is left behind and we managed to catch it," said Ipunk.

Even though it is in an empty condition, it is suspected that around 70'80 tonnes of stolen fish have been transferred to aircraft carriers in the border area. As a result of this theft, the state has the potential to experience major ecological and economic losses.

"The total valuation of potential state losses that were saved from this arrest reached Rp22.6 billion," he said.

The HP 9213 TS ship is suspected of violating Article 92 of Law Number 31 of 2004 concerning Fisheries, as amended by Law Number 6 of 2023 concerning Job Creation, as well as other articles related to regional violations and licensing.

Furthermore, the investigation will be carried out by the Fisheries Civil Servant Investigators (PPNS) at the Batam PSDKP Base.