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and is unlawfully being quarried at Mount Anak Krakatau in the Sunda Strait despite the volcanic area being on high alert status, a local fisherman says.

The fisherman, who requested anonymity, has noticed quarrying activities in the area, with a bulldozer and machinery to pump sand, as well as a large barge plying from the area to Banten each day.

Also under the guidance of the Lampung chapter of the Indonesian Forum for the Environment (Walhi), the angler said the sand mining activities have been taking place over the last two months.

Fishermen are afraid to approach the location as the Bandung Volcanology Center declared Mount Anak Krakatau and its surroundings a prohibited area under alert status.

"We have to be at least two kilometers from the location, but we can still see several people on top of the piles of sand. The barge always avoids us if we approach it," said the fisherman on Wednesday.

"The barge carrying the sand usually operates at night, probably to avoid being seen by people watching Mount Anak Krakatau's volcanic activities," he added.

Lampung Walhi director Hendrawan said sand mining, especially carried out by firms, was banned in the Mount Anak Krakatau area because it was a natural reserve.

"We strongly oppose the sand quarrying activities and demand Lampung Police immediately arrest those involved in the activities and confiscate their heavy machinery," said Hendrawan.

"We have reported the case to the Lampung chapter of the Natural Resources and Conservation Center (BKSDA), which looks after Mount Anak Krakatau. However, we have yet to receive any response as of now," he added on Wednesday.

Central Walhi campaign manager Mukri Friatna said plans for sand mining in the area had been floated over the past few years as the sand was rich in iron ore and could be sold to contribute to the regional generated income (PAD) of South Lampung regency and Lampung province.

However, the then Lampung BKSDA head Puja Utama rejected the proposal.

Mukri said Anak Krakatau was a natural conservation area, based on Law No. 5/1990 on natural resources and ecosystem conservation.

"A permit and an environmental analysis report are required to bring in heavy machinery to the area, extract sand," said Mukri.

Lampung BKSDA head Ambar Dwiyono said she was not aware of any sand mining activities in the area.

She added the Lampung provincial administration had asked her office for permission to conduct disaster mitigation to minimize impacts of Mount Anak Krakatau's eruptions, but not for sand mining.

Bandung Volcanology and Geological Disaster Mitigation Center head Surono said the Forestry Ministry had never issued a permit for disaster mitigation in the area.

According to Surono, sand mining is not a disaster mitigation method for volcanoes on the verge of eruption.

"We have strongly rejected the Lampung provincial administration's proposal to conduct disaster mitigation by engineering or sand quarrying. The forestry minister issued a ban based on our recommendation," said Surono.

Mount Anak Krakatau is located in the Sunda Strait and included in South Lampung regency.

The volcano is located in the middle of the sea and stands 350 meters above sea level. It is one of the most active volcanoes in Indonesia.

Mount Krakatau once erupted and spawned a tsunami on 27 Aug. 1883. In 1927, or 40 years after it erupted, a new volcano, called Anak Krakatau, or Krakatau's Child, emerged.