Indonesia says it will continue to sink foreign vessels caught fishing illegally in its waters, stressing that it is determined to defend its maritime sovereignty.
Speaking exclusively to Channel NewsAsia, Indonesia’s Minister for Maritime and Fisheries Susi Pudjiastuti said tough action is also needed to protect and develop its domestic fishing industry that has suffered due to illegal fishing.
More than 30 foreign vessels caught fishing illegally have been sunk since the new government took office just over four months ago. Philippine fishing vessels were the latest that met the wrath of Indonesian laws.
Indonesia’s act has raised eyebrows particularly among its immediate ASEAN neighbours a region that is used to quiet diplomacy. But Jakarta has vowed to press on. That’s what we will do. Until today there’s no request from the president to stop it. And it’s his call anyway, not my call, said Pudjiastuti.
Fifteen more foreign vessels are expected to face a similar fate in the coming weeks including those believed to be from China. Nine, with Chinese crew on Indonesian flag [edit] we never captured or seized them in their country’s flag. It’s always on Indonesian flag [edit]. That is the way they operate on illegal fishing. If they go to Australia, they will use Australian flag.
Observers expect China to react strongly if any of their vessels is sunk. It could potentially lead to a diplomatic spat which Jakarta has so far avoided with Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam and the Philippines after it destroyed their vessels.
Actually, every country, I think, does the same thing,” said the minister. “Australia has sunk thousands of Indonesian fishing vessels that brought immigrants there or caught fish in the last 15 years. Thailand has done the same for foreign fishing vessels which entered its waters.”
“I think it’s a normal way. It’s probably the others are not publishing it or have not uploaded it on the media, which we did,” she added.
The minister believes illegal fishing in Indonesian waters has gone unchecked for too long, and the country’s fishery industry has suffered whilst its neighbours prospered.
A poster says, ‘where are the other vessels?’, referring to foreign vessels that are still fishing illegally in Indonesia – quite a statement especially when the poster is conspicuously displayed at the Indonesian Maritime and Fisheries Ministry building. Clearly it is a posture that Jakarta is not about to change anytime soon not when it wants to become a regional maritime power.
2015 Mediacorp News Group