JAKARTA - The Ministry of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries (KKP) has apprehended a foreign fishing vessel flying the Philippine flag suspected of illegal fishing in the Indonesian Fisheries Management Area (WPPNRI) 717, in the Pacific Ocean north of Papua.
"This is the largest catch in the last decade, both in terms of the size of the vessel and the net," said the Director General of Marine and Fisheries Resources Surveillance (PSDKP) of the KKP, Pung Nugroho Saksono, also known as Ipunk, in Jakarta, Antara News Agency reported on Tuesday, August 19.
Ipunk personally led the arrest operation aboard the Surveillance Vessel (KP) Orca 04 on Monday, August 18.
Inspection results showed that the 754 GT Fishing Vessel (FV) Princess Janice-168 did not have a fishing sub-sector business permit from the Indonesian government. The vessel was crewed by 32 Filipino nationals.
"The vessel and its fishing gear are jumbo, and when operating, they can reach an area about twice the size of a football field, with a catch of 400 tons of fish per operation. The fish caught are predominantly baby tuna," said Ipunk.
The vessel uses modern, large purse seine nets with lines approximately 1.3 kilometers long.
The Ministry of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries deployed the KP Orca 06, supported by the KP Orca 04, and an airborne surveillance aircraft to apprehend this giant vessel. Further legal proceedings will be conducted at the Bitung PSDKP Base.
The FV Princess Janice-168 is suspected of violating the Fisheries Law, as last amended by Law Number 6 of 2023 concerning the Enactment of Government Regulation in Lieu of Law Number 2 of 2022 concerning Job Creation into Law, which carries a maximum prison sentence of six years and a fine of up to IDR 20 billion.
In addition to apprehending the vessel, the KP Orca 06 also removed and disposed of 10 fish aggregating devices (FADs) installed by Filipino fishermen. These fish aggregating devices (FADs) are suspected to be linked to the operation of the FV Princess Janice-168.
"These FADs are where fish gather to be caught by fishing vessels," explained Ipunk.
From this operation, the Ministry of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries estimates that the potential state losses saved reached IDR 189.5 billion.
Previously, Minister of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Sakti Wahyu Trenggono emphasized that the Ministry of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries opposes illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing (IUU) practices because they undermine the principles of sustainability. Maritime patrols continue to be intensified to safeguard fish resources in Indonesian waters.
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