Boat crews also arrested and 125 kilograms of tuna seized.
he Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Ministry announced on Friday the seizure of two fishing boats from the Philippines for operating illegally in Indonesian waters.
The boats' crews were arrested.
“The two boats operated in Indonesian waters. They were arrested by the Hiu 015 fishing patrol boat captained by Adli Firmansyah,” said Agus Suherman, an official at the ministry’s Marine and Fishery Resources Management Directorate General, in a statement on Friday.
Agus said 125 kilograms of tuna had been found on the boats. The boats, their crews and evidence had been taken to the ministry’s office in North Sulawesi.
The crews of the boats will be charged with violating Law No. 45/2009 on fishery. They could face a maximal six-year prison sentence and a maximum fine of Rp 20 billion (US$1.39 million).
Thirty-two foreign vessels operating in Indonesian waters – 15 from Vietnam, 14 from Malaysia and three from the Philippines - have been seized since January, tempo.co recently reported.
Since 2014, the government has sunk about 300 vessels that were caught fishing illegally in Indonesian waters. (bbn)
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