Big Fishing Vessel Detained

Big Fishing Vessel Detained

JAKARTA, Kompas – Maritime and Fishery (KP) Ministry and Indonesian Navy detained a big vessel with 4,306-GT capacity. This is the biggest vessel in illegal fishing vessel arrestment history. The vessel was detained since it had no operational permit.

KP Ministry’s Maritime and Fishery Resources Surveillance (PSDKP) Director General, Asep Burhanuddin, on Monday (1/12) in Jakarta said his office obtained information that a violation was conducted by Panama-flagged MV Hai Fa arriving and berthed in Wanam General Port, Merauke Regency, Papua on Saturday (December, 26^th 2014) at 12 a.m. local time.

MV Hai Fa allegedly carried fishes from Avona to Wanam without fishing vessel operational permit and it did not activate fishing vessel monitoring system transmitter during its voyage.

“The vessel was driven to Ambon Lantamal IX on January, 1^st 2015. Currently, it is being investigated by Ambon PSDKP and Ambon Lantamal IX investigators,” Asep said.

The 4,306-GT MV Hai Fa is owned by the agent of PT Anthartica Segara Lines and it employs 23 Chinese vessel crews on board. The vessel carried 900,702 kilograms fish and frozen shrimp comprising 800,658 kilograms fish and 100,044 kilograms frozen shrimp.

Meanwhile, KP Ministry’s patrol vessel in January 9^th detained and arrested three Indonesian shipping vessels allegedly conducting transshipment. The three vessels were 144-GT KM Jaya Bali Bersaudara 92, 86-GT KM TIP 102, and 172-GT KM Nusantara VIII.

Asep said the shipping vessels allegedly landed their catches in PT Bintang Mandiri Bersaudara’s berth but they did not report it to fishery overseer.

“The three vessels allegedly have violated transshipment regulation based on KP Minister’s Regulation No. 57/2014,” Asep said. The vessels were processed by Bitung PSDKP Base fishery civil servant investigators.

KM Nusantara VIII, Asep said, landed 45 tons of fish which, according to the vessel skipper, came from fishing vessels at the sea. The vessel was KM Jaya Bali Bersaudara 10, KM Mahakam I, KM Helsinki, KM Adi Kusuma-A, KM KupangJaya 06, and KM Fak-Fak Jaya 189.

Meanwhile, KM TIP 102 carried 20 tons of fish allegedly coming from KM Mentari 888, KM Mitra Sejati, and KM Nusantara II. KM Jaya Bali Bersaudara carried 56 tons of fish allegedly obtained from KM Nusantara V and KM Bali Permai Makmur.

Adding Operation

Patrol vessel operation by KP Ministry is planned to reach 280 days in 2015 or a 424-percent hike than in last year of 66 days. Asep said the total allocation budget for 280-day patrol is IDR 411 billion.

KP Ministry’s patrol operational day agreed in this year’s budget execution list (DIPA) is 116 days with IDR 190 billion budget. However, in 2015 Revised State Budget, KP Ministry’s patrol vessel operational day is increased to 210 days with IDR 340 billion budget.

“With patrol additional day of 280 days, we are expected to conduct patrol operation along the year,” he said.

Patrol will be intensified especially in illegal fishing-prone areas such as Natuna Sea, Sulawesi’s Northern Sea, Arafura Sea, Malacca Strait, and Java Sea.

Patrol operation is conducted by coordinating with Maritime Security Agency (Bakamla). His office is waiting for coordination meeting with Bakamla for patrol procedure operational standard.

“To make it effective and optimal, the operation must be conducted in one command,” Asep said.

Along 2014, patrol operational day was only 66 days with IDR 91.2 billion budget. The number of detained illegal fishing vessel was 39 vessels from the total investigated vessel of 2,044 units. From the number, 16 vessels were from Vietnam and Thailand and 23 vessels were from Indonesia.

Currently, the number of KP Ministry’s patrol vessel is 27 units. His office plans to add four big patrol vessels with 40-meter length and 2014-2015 construction period. In 2014, vessel construction cost IDR 238 billion and this year, it costs IDR 381.41 billion.

However, Asep said, the obstacle which occurs during patrol operation enhancement is human resource readiness. It needs 100 patrol vessel officers to operate four additional patrol vessels which can be operated through exclusive economic zone area.

Fishermen Detain Vessel

Small fishermen detained a foreign illegal fishing vessel again. North Kalimantan Small Fishermen Association detained Malaysian fishing vessels having 10-GT capacity and trawl net. The arrestment was conducted in 3 nautical miles (5.5 kilometers) of Tarakan waters on Saturday (1/10). The Malaysian illegal fishing vessel has been handed to Water and Air Police (Polairud).

In the end of December 2014, traditional fishermen from Tanjung Balai Asahan, North Sumatera, detained a 70-GT Malaysian illegal fishing vessel. The vessel having trawl net was brought to Indonesian Navy’s berth.

At that time, according to Tanjung Balai Indonesian Traditional Fishermen Association Regional Secretary, Dahli Sirait, the vessel was detained when it was conducting illegal fishing activity. (Kompas)