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Jakarta Post

Govt eyes extra US$16m tax income from fight against poaching

Ayomi Amindoni (The Jakarta Post)
Jakarta
Wed, June 29, 2016

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Govt eyes extra US$16m tax income from fight against poaching Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Minister Susi Pudjiastuti stretches on board the KRI Baracuda 814 warship before sinking ships found guilty of poaching in Tanjung Pinang, Kepri, on Feb. 2. (Tribun Batam/Argianto DA Nugroho)

T

he Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Ministry estimates that the country’s fight against illegal fishing will recover Rp 209.1 billion (US$16 million) of tax revenue from 187 taxpayers in the first half of the year.

Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Minister Susi Pudjiastuti said potential tax revenue had long been lost due to excessive poaching in Indonesian waters, as 97 percent of borders with 12 neighboring countries are in the ocean.

"Until now, the process of recovering the country's losses is still ongoing with the Tax Office […] In July, Task Force 115 will sink 30 foreign-flagged vessels for which the legal process has been resolved," Susi said on Wednesday in Jakarta.

As of June, the task force, with personnel from the Indonesian Navy, the National Police, the Attorney General’s Office, the Maritime Security Board (Bakamla) and the ministry, has handled 11 criminal cases related to illegal fishing in Natuna, Ambon and Timika waters.

The task force has also sunk 162 foreign-flagged vessels caught fishing illegally in Indonesian waters, 63 of which were were from Vietnam, along with 43 vessels from the Philippines, 30 from Malaysia, 21 from Thailand and 14 local vessels.

The ministry has identified operating regions based on the level of vulnerability to illegal fishing, namely Aceh, Natuna, Arafura, Sulawesi and Maluku waters, as well as Indonesia’s border with Timor Leste. (ags)

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