Aceh Police Arrest Harimau Trawlers In North Aceh Waters

BANDA ACEH - Personnel from the Directorate of Air and Water Police of the Aceh Regional Police arrested a ship and its five crew members for allegedly using a prohibited fishing gear in the form of a Harimau trawl in the waters of North Aceh.

"The arrest of the ship and its crew was four nautical miles from the Jambo Aye coastline, North Aceh Regency", said Director of the Air and Water Police (Dirpolairud) of the Aceh Regional Police, Kombes Wawan Setiawan, in Banda Aceh, quoted by Antara, Thursday, September 30.

The five crew members who were arrested during the arrest were KK (37) as the captain and ILS (30), AH (28), MH (19), and ZM (21).

According to the middle-ranking officer of the National Police, before being arrested, the personnel on duty first checked the documents of the motorboat with the initials KM PD.

After the inspection, said Kombes Wawan, it was discovered that the 18 gross ton (GT) vessel did not have a complete permit to catch fish such as SIUP, SIPI, and SPB.

"The ship has no shipping documents and catches fish using a Harimau trawl. The ship and its crew and fish half a barrel of fiber are secured to the Director of the Air and Water Police of the Aceh Regional Police", said Kombes Wawan.

He said the captain of the ship could potentially be charged with violating Article 84 Paragraph (1) of Law Number 32 of 2004 which was changed to Law Number 45 of 2009a concerning fisheries.

"The article states that whoever catches fish using a tool that endangers the preservation of fish resources, the threat of a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison and a maximum fine of IDR 2 billion", said Kombes Wawan.