Indonesia seizes five foreign fishing vessels for illegal activities

Jakarta, Sep 26 (IANS) Indonesia's Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Ministry has captured four Philippine-flagged vessels and one Malaysian-flagged vessel with fishermen on board for allegedly fishing within the country's waters in the Pacific Ocean and the Malacca Strait, a senior official at the ministry reported on Thursday.

In a statement, the ministry's Director General of Marine Resources and Fisheries Supervision Pung Nugroho Saksono noted that the four Philippine-flagged vessels were seized separately on Friday and Saturday in the Pacific Ocean.

Over 30 individuals, including captains and crew members, were aboard these vessels when they were apprehended by the ministry's patrol boat in Indonesia's exclusive economic zone (EEZ), the official added, according to Xinhua news agency.

Meanwhile, the Malaysian-flagged vessel, which had a captain and three crew members, was caught on Monday in the Malacca Strait. Saksono added that all the vessels were engaged in poaching using prohibited trawlers.

Data showed that since January, the Indonesian ministry has seized 21 foreign-flagged vessels for illegal fishing activities in Indonesian waters.