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13 Vietnamese fishing boats nabbed in Natuna waters
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A foreign boat is sunk by Indonesian authorities in Natuna waters, Riau Islands province, on Aug. 17, 2016. The boat was caught fishing illegally. (POOL/Dokumentasi KKP)
T
he Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Ministry and the Maritime Security Board (Bakamla) arrested 13 boats flying Vietnamese flags for fishing illegally in the eastern part of the Natuna Sea in Riau Islands province.
“The boats were captured during a routine patrol on Tuesday,” Bakamla spokesperson Capt. Mardiono told The Jakarta Post in Jakarta on Wednesday.
According Mardiono, the Bakamla patrol boat Hiu Macan 01 detected a group of fishing boats in Natuna waters. The boats were suspected of using trawls, which is forbidden in Indonesia.
When the Hiu Macan 01 approached the area, the foreign boats attempted to flee but were stopped and their crews detained, he explained.
(Read also: Indonesian Navy apprehends two Malaysian-flagged vessels)
“The boats and 94 crew members are Vietnamese. They are temporarily being detained at the Pontianak PSDKP [Maritime and Fisheries Monitoring Task Force] center,” Mardiono said.
The crew members will be charged under Article 93 of the 2004 Fisheries Law, which carries a maximum sentence of six years in prison and a Rp 20 billion (US$1.5 million) fine. (bbs)
