Ministry limits ports for fishing vessels

The Jakarta Post , Jakarta | Fri, 09/19/2008 11:52 AM | Business

The Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Ministry will require large fishing vessels to dock at two appointed ports next year as part of efforts to better control the industry which is frequently said to invite poaching.

Under a planned regulation, the vessels should regularly report their positions and sizes of catches to designated ports, which are yet to be announced.

The ministry's secretary general, Widi Agoes Pratikto, said on Wednesday that the fishing vessels were difficult to monitor and the new policy would enable authorities to supervise their activities more easily.

"Under the existing regulation, all vessels can file reports to any ports. We suspect the loose supervision of vessels has allowed many to do illegal business," he said.

There are currently more than 120 ports scattered throughout the Indonesia.

Widi said the appointed ports would be equipped with facilities and systems that enabled authorities to find out the locations, kinds and amounts of fishing catches.

"The ports will be developed into processing plants where vessels can process their catches and help boost the local economy," he said.

"Funding for ports would be included in the Rp 10 trillion (US$ 1.07 billion) proposal currently being discussed with lawmakers."

Widi said, "Rp 10 trillion is what we need to save the sea from illegal fishing."

According to ministry data, Indonesia suffers an estimated $3 billion in losses from illegal fishing every year. (ewd)

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