Conduct Illegal Fishing, KKP Capture Philippine-flagged Fishing Vessels In Sulawesi Waters

Illustration of illegal ships (Photo: dock. KKP)

Conduct Illegal Fishing, KKP Capture Philippine-flagged Fishing Vessels In Sulawesi Waters

JAKARTA - The Ministry of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries (KKP) caught a foreign fishing boat (KIA) with the Philippine flag on Saturday, October 14, 2023.

The arrest of this fishing vessel was carried out because of the alleged illegal fishing in the waters of the Sulawesi Sea.

Termination, Examination, and Detention (Henrikhan) was also carried out when this foreign fishing vessel carried out fishing activities at the coordinates of 04°26,386'N-124°01,980'E Sulawesi Sea.

Director General of Marine Resources and Fisheries Supervision KKP Adin Nurawaluddin said that this was the result of the hard work of the team carried out by the Directorate General of Marine and Fishery Resources Supervision (PSDKP), in this case the Shark Marine and Fisheries Supervisory Ship (KP) 15 under the control of Tahuna PSKDP Station.

He said satellite imagery at the KKP Command Center provided information that KIA with the Philippine flag carried out fishing activities in the Indonesia Sea Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) region of Sulawesi Sea, Republic Fisheries Management Area (WPPNRI) 716.

This was then validated by the Airbone Surveillance aircraft of the Directorate General of PSDKP, which was immediately Intercepted by the Marine and Fisheries Supervisory Vessel of HIU 15 for termination, examination and detention (Henrikhan).

"This is the fruit of the persistence of the Shark 15 Crew Personnel (AKP) as well as the technology support owned by the KKP, so that we managed to secure the foreign fishing boat," said Adin in a written statement, on Thursday, October 19.

Adin said, after an inspection, KIA FB SL was found loaded with dry Lemadang fish, Dried Cacalang, Dry Cumi and Dry Flyover. The ship is manned by a captain from the Philippines and 14 crew members (ABK) who are also Filipino.

The foreign fishing boat was also suspected of violating Article 92 in conjunction with Article 26 paragraph (1) of the Law of the Republic of Indonesia Number 31 of 2024 concerning Fisheries. As amended by Law of the Republic of Indonesia Number 45 of 2009 concerning Amendments to Law Number 31 of 2004 concerning Fisheries as amended by Law of the Republic of Indonesia Number 6 of 2023 concerning Stipulation of Government Regulations in Lieu of Law Number 2 of 2022 concerning Job Creation into Law.

"This is a form of KKP's commitment in order to take firm action against fish thieves. As a result of illegal fishing activities, we confiscated the KIA for the state and threatened with a maximum prison sentence of 8 years and a maximum fine of IDR 1.5 billion.

Furthermore, said Adin, currently the KIA with the Philippine flag has arrived at the Tahuna PSKDP Base on October 15, 2023, for further legal proceedings.

"When the foreign fishing boat arrived at the Tahuna Public Port pier, the ranks of the Directorate General of PSDKP through the Civil Servant Investigator Team (PPNS) of the Tahuna PSDKP Fisheries would receive the transfer of the case files of the crew and evidence from the Hiu 15 KP captain, for further legal proceedings immediately," he added.