Maritime Security Agency Notes That There Are Still Fishermen Catching Fish Using Bombs In Maluku

Illustration. Fishermen detonate a small fish bomb in the waters of Laonti, South Konawe, Southeast Sulawesi. (Antaranews)

AMBON - The East Maritime Zone Maritime Security Agency (Bakamla) revealed that there are still people in the waters of Maluku Province who catch fish using potassium bombs. In fact, its use is a threat to the preservation of marine life.

Head of the East Maritime Zone Bakamla Office, First Admiral Bakamla Arif Sumartono, said his findings were also reinforced by information from the Maluku Fisheries Service.

"The use of potassium bombs still exists from the waters of Seram Island to the south including Southeast Maluku, Southwest Maluku", Arif said after opening the 2022 East Maritime Zone Sea Security and Safety Exercise, in Ambon City, Monday, March 28, as reported by Antara.

He said there needs to be a concerted effort from all policymakers to stop fishermen from using bombs that use dangerous chemicals.

The use of bombs to find fish is very dangerous because it damages marine ecosystems and the productivity of Maluku's fisheries sector has the potential to decrease, he said.

He further said that Bakamla's ability in the East Maritime Zone was still limited from the small number of personnel, then the fleet of ships was still lacking.

Whereas Bakamla in the eastern maritime zone has a very big responsibility because it has to secure the territorial waters in five provinces, starting from Papua, West Papua, East Nusa Tenggara, Maluku, and North Maluku.

"Then our ships are still limited. There should be three big ships, 80 meters in size and 48 meters in size. If the 80-meter ship, namely KN Pulau Dana, the plan is for the East Maritime Zone, but it can't be done because it is still being used for security on Natuna Island, as well as catamarans positioned in Kupang and Tual", he said.

Even so, Bakalma continues to innovate to supervise its territory, one of which is by installing the Early Surveillance System (SPD) such as those already placed in Jayapura, Merauke, Tual, Ambon, and Saumlaki.

In addition, he said Bakamla also continues to conduct training for personnel which is carried out regularly every year. The goal is to increase the potential and human resources of the Maritime Security Agency in the zone area, state ships (KN), and at the base.

"The training that will be carried out will be in the form of diving and shooting, which will be divided into two parts on land and at sea. For diving, it is rather vulnerable, so experts will be brought in, while for shooting training we are in synergy with the IX Ambon Naval Base, especially the marines", he said.

He added that ground-based shooting exercises will be conducted in Telaga Kodok Village, namely at the Lantamal IX shooting range in Ambon. Meanwhile, shooting exercises at sea will take place in the waters of the Banda Sea.

The number of members who will participate in the diving training is 11 people, and 20 other members are participating in the shooting practice.