Indonesia’s Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Ministry has apprehended five foreign fishing vessels—four flagged from the Philippines and one from Malaysia—accused of illegal fishing in the country’s waters, including the Pacific Ocean and the Malacca Strait.
Pung Nugroho Saksono, the ministry’s Director General of Marine Resources and Fisheries Supervision, reported that the four Philippine-flagged vessels were seized in separate incidents on Friday and Saturday. Over 30 individuals, including captains and crew members, were aboard when the ministry’s patrol boat intercepted them within Indonesia’s exclusive economic zone (EEZ).
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The Malaysian-flagged vessel, carrying a captain and three crew members, was captured on Monday in the Malacca Strait. According to Saksono, all five vessels were engaged in poaching activities, using prohibited trawlers.
Since the beginning of the year, Indonesia’s ministry has seized a total of 21 foreign-flagged vessels for illegal fishing activities within its waters.
