Susi Gets Angry Over Illegal Fishing Vessel Auction

Susi Gets Angry Over Illegal Fishing Vessel Auction

Maritime and Fishery (KP) Minister, Susi Pudjiastuti, got angry over illegal fishing vessel auction process in Aceh yesterday. “In Meulaboh (Aceh), there are 4 Thai vessels auctioned. I asked to review its judicial review (PK),” Susi said in her office at Mina Bahari Building, Jakarta yesterday.

According to her, the detained foreign vessels proven to conduct illegal fishing are not allowed to be auctioned. She urged the vessels to be sunk or confiscated for the country. “We should confiscate it for the country,” Susi said.

She also gets angry since the auction prices of the four vessels are very low. They have 200-gross tonnage (GT) capacity but their prices are only around IDR 100 million per vessel. Whereas, the market price for 80-GT vessels reaches IDR 200 million. “I cannot accept it,” she yelled.

Similar case also occurs in Pontianak, West Kalimantan. After conducting legal process, 33 foreign illegal fishing vessels in Indonesian waters are decided to be publicly auctioned.

“I asked police and Indonesian Navy to arrest and process the vessels in Fishery Court. We are only allowed to sink or confiscate them. No auction is permitted,” she said. She will give hard protest if the court decides to auction the vessels. She is ready for rally if necessary. “I will come to join rally,” she said.

The ministry, several days ago, detained a foreign illegal fishing vessel in Arafura Sea named MY HAIFA. It was detained when it was berthed in Wanam Port, Merauke Regency, on Saturday, December 27^th 2014.

Maritime and Fishery Resources Surveillance Director General, Asep Burhanudin, stated the vessel’s deadweight is 4,306 GT and it allegedly sailed without operational permit (SLO).

“The route is from Avona to Wanam, Merauke. The vessel used Panama flag,” Asep said yesterday. It had 23 Chinese vessel crews. The evidences were 900 thousand kilograms mixed fishes and shrimps comprising around 800 thousand kilograms frozen fish and 100 thousand kilograms frozen shrimp. The loads were owned by PT Avona Mina Lestari and would be exported to China.

Prior to that, the similar vessel has obtained vessel inspection result (HPK) arrival document from Fishery Overseer in Avona PSDKP task force on December 18^th 2014 and departure HPK on December 19^th 2014. However, Fishery Overseer stated the vessel is not eligible for operation since all of its crews are foreign citizens so the SLO for the vessel was not issued.

After conducting inspection, besides it has no SLO, the vessel also does not activate its vessel monitoring system (VMS) during voyage from Avona to Wanam, Papua. The ministry has coordinated with Indonesian navy and Police. The vessel was driven to Ambon Lantamal IX Berth and arrived on January 1^st.

Susi said her office currently has successfully casted out 90 percent of foreign illegal fishing vessels. “We threaten by sinking seven vessels and thousands vessel are gone. We do not need to shoot them one by one,” she said.

According to the ministry’s data, the number of foreign illegal fishing vessels in Indonesia at early 2014 was 1,128 units. By the end of December 2014, the number dropped to 164 units. All vessels are detected by VMS signal.

To eradicate illegal fishing practice, Susi cooperates with PPATK. Both institutions signed MoU yesterday.

Several main points of this cooperation are the deal over criminal sanction for money laundry, fishery, and maritime, information exchange, assistance, and human resource development.

PPATK Head, Muhammad Yusuf, is really glad with the cooperation. It eases his office to track suspicious transaction data over illegal fishing financing by certain firms.

“I put great expectation after seeing Susi’s performances. PPATK wonders we have received thousands report but there are no data over maritime and fishery,” he explained. (Rakyat Merdeka)