Conduct Illegal Fishing, Malaysian-flagged Fishing Vessel Arrested In The Malacca Strait

Illegal fishing illustrations (Photo: dock. Antara)

JAKARTA - The Ministry of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries (KKP) has secured an illegal fishing boat (KIA) with the Malaysian flag. The ship was caught by the HIU 16 Supervisory Ship (KP) which was carrying out illegal fishing in Indonesian waters in the Malacca Strait.

Plt. Director General of Marine and Fishery Resources Supervision (PSDKP) Pung Nugroho Saksono explained that the prohibited activity was successfully thwarted by Pangkasalan PSDDKP Belawan, North Sumatra, Saturday, March 2 at 11.04 WIB. His party stopped, inspected, and detained an illegal Malaysian-flagged ship.

When investigated, the ship was not equipped with a licensing document and was carrying a fishing gear in the form of a net (trawl).

"The modus operandi they carry out is to carry out fishing activities in border areas and push into Indonesian territory by storing the Malaysian Flag," said Ipunk as he is quoted from the official KKP website, Thursday, March 7.

Ipunk said the Malaysian ship was secured on Sunday, March 3, at around 17.00 WIB, at the Langsa PSDKP Animal dock, Belawan. Furthermore, the Fisheries PPNS Team transferred the case files of the crew and evidence of the case.

The Malaysian-flagged ship is suspected of crossing into Indonesian waters without permission and violating a number of regulations, namely Article 92 in conjunction with Article 26 paragraph (1) Article 98 in conjunction with Article 42 paragraph (3) of the Marine and Fishery Sector of Law No. 6 of 2023 concerning Stipulation of Perpu Number 2 of 2022 concerning Job Creation and Article 85 in conjunction with Article 9 of Law Number 45 of 2009 concerning amendments to Law of the Republic of Indonesia Number 31 of 2004 concerning Fisheries.

As a result, the Malaysian ship faces a maximum prison sentence of 5 years and a maximum fine of IDR 2 billion.

"KIA was secured with the hull number KM. KF 5032 type seakeeping 60 GT with 5 crew members being foreigners from Myanmar. The KIA captain is TS (41) who is also from Myanmar with a cargo of 110 kg (mixed fish)," he said.

On another occasion, Belawan PSDKP Station Base Head Muhamad Syamsu Rokhman said Malaysian authorities through the Malaysia Coast Guard at the border had been in contact with KP Shark 16 to determine the position of their fishing boat and the reason the ship was brought by it.

After checking the data together, the Malaysian Coast Guard also admitted that the fishing boat was wrong and invited it to be prosecuted by the KKP.

Syamsu said that the crew had fought back and tried to escape while being detained.

"When the henrikhan was carried out, the crew of KM. KF 5032 had fought back and two people tried to escape by jumping into the sea. However, the KP. HIU 16 Supervisory Ship Crew (AKP) action, 16 crew members who threw themselves into the sea, were arrested," he said.

As for the last two weeks, the KKP has arrested two KIAs with Philippine and Malaysian flags. This is a form of KKP's commitment through the Directorate General of PSDKP to continue to maintain the sovereignty of the SDKP, especially from fish thieves in the NKRI border area.