Foreign Illegal Export Vessels Still Defy

Foreign Illegal Export Vessels Still Defy

DOBO, Kompas – The implementation of fishery business permit to all fishing vessels constructed abroad has not been fully obeyed. In Arafura Sea, tens of foreign illegal export vessels still sail even though their permits have been revoked.

34 of 96 foreign illegal export vessels owned by integrated fishery industry, PT Pusaka Benjina Resources, are still operated even though the fishing permits of those vessels have been revoked since November 2014. The revoke is conducted along with the implementation of captured fishery business permit moratorium.

It was reported by joint operation conducted by Maritime and Fishery (KP) Ministry’s IUU Fishing Eradication and Prevention Task Force with Indonesian Navy on Wednesday (1/21) in Aru Islands Regency, Maluku.

Vessel permit verification and investigation was conducted on January, 19^th-21^st 2015 in some locations of Papua and Maluku.

The permit moratorium is regulated in KP Minister Regulation No. 56/2014 about captured fishery business permit moratorium in Indonesian fishery management area on November 3^rd 2014.

Scared to Return

Pusaka Benjina Resources Site Manager, Herman, said those foreign export vessels should not be operated after the government revokes their fishing permits (SIPI). His office has called all fishing vessels operated in fishing ground but some vessels have not returned yet.

Herman said some of the vessels have sailed before the moratorium was issued so those vessels which have captured fishes are afraid of coming back. The foreign investment firm admitted to be submissive if those vessels are detained by patrol officers.

“We have called those vessels but they have not returned yet. Perhaps, they are afraid of entering port. They cannot do anything,” he said.

From the total of 96 fishing vessels owned by the firm, Thai vessel crews are 1,000 people and Indonesian vessel crews is 100 people. Since the moratorium was implemented, the Thai crews stay on the vessels. Those Thai export vessels have 200-GT capacity whose 80 percent of the catch is exported to Thailand.

Mukhtar, Tual Maritime and Fishery Resources Surveillance Station Head, said fraud may occur if the firm cannot control its fishing vessels. “If the firm cannot do anything, it means those vessels do not belong to the firm,” he said.

Meanwhile, in fishery port owned by Pusaka Benjina Resources, there is a fish-shipping vessel named K Golden Sea having 2,000-GT. In the vessel’s hatch, there are 1,600 tons of fish to be exported to Thailand. However, the export is suspended since the vessel is affected by transshipment prohibition.

According to the data of Tual Maritime and Fishery Resources Surveillance Station, until January 9^th 2015, there are 98 vessels whose permits are revoked but they are still operated. Those vessels are spread in Tual, Ambon, Aru Islands (Maluku), Sorong, Timika, Kaimana (West Papua), and Merauke (Papua). (Kompas)