Jakarta (Greeners) – Ministry of Marine and Fisheries Affairs sank more foreign vessels in three locations, — seven Vietnamese vessels in Natuna, three Malaysian vessels in Belawan and three Vietnamese vessels in Pontianak –.

The act has brought positive impacts to Indonesia’s resources and business.

Susi Pudjiastuti, Minister of Marine and Fisheries Affairs, said that sinking foreign vessels caught illegal fishing bring massive benefits to the country from the point of views of resources and business.

From resources, Indonesia’s marine biomass has been increasing in the last few years, which affects business as there are increase of exports and fishermen exchange rate (NTN) for the last four years.

“Our marine biomass has growth 300 percent compare to previous year. Fertile seas, more fishes, more bigger sizes. Sinking vessels may seems creepy, malicious, but it’s a marvellous way out to tackle illegal fishing practices in our country. If not, how many years you want for this illegal fishing to be resolved,” said Minister Susi in Natuna on Saturday (11/05/2019).

READ ALSO: Minister Susi Sinks 13 Illegal Fishing Vessels from Vietnam 

Based on a press release obtained by Greeners, fish production has been increasing. On the third quarter of 2015, fish production has increased from 5,363,274 tons to 5,664,326 tons in 2016 or 5.24 percent.

In 2017, it was 8.51 percent increase or 6,124,522 tons. For the third quarter of 2018, fish production has increased 1.93 percent or reaching 6,242,846 tons.

Meanwhile, fisheries’ gross domestic product for the third quarter of 2018 reached Rp59.98 trillion or US$4.14 billion.

The number is higher compare to same period in 2017 which reached Rp57.84 trillion or US$3.99 billion. Despite of slow growth from 6.85 percent in the third quarter of 2017 to 3.71 percent in the same period of 2018, it still experiences increase for each quarter and on fish production numbers.

Minister Susi said that thanks to Indonesia’s firmness to eradicate illegal fishing that fisheries trade balance becomes the number one in Southeast Asia. In addition, Indonesia is the biggest supply for tuna in the world.

“Currently, Indonesia’s tuna is the world’s number one. This is the number two exports in Europe market. It is a remarkable thing of which even being monetized, it would worth of billions of dollars. Fishermen exchange rate rises more than ten percent in the last four years. From business calculation, the war against thieves of fishes is a beneficial business for the country,” she said.

READ ALSO: Susi Pudjiastuti Encourages Certification for Tuna Competitiveness 

Furthermore, she said that the idea to auction foreign vessels is not the best solution to tackle illegal fishing in Indonesia.

“If fishes being auctioned, that okay. But, if vessels being auctioned, we sell them again and they’ll use it to steal again, we catch them again for the second time, do you want our country to be a joke? she said.

She cites several cases of which the boats caught breaking the law and being auctioned, were being used again for illegal fishing in Indonesian waters.

Hence, she said the government must not hesitate and firm in creating deterrent effect for perpetrators by sinking the vessels.

“However, the issue is we often hesitate, we are not confident. It was only two years, oh, why not auction them? Will it not be a waste to sink Rp10 billion (US$691 million) of vessel, then you can get Rp1 billion (US$69 million) if you auction them. Meanwhile, for one trip of illegal fishing, they can get Rp3 billion (US$207 million. Don’t you care about our fishes? That’s our economic source,” she said.

Reports by Dewi Purningsih

Jakarta (Greeners) – Menteri Kelautan dan Perikanan Susi Pudjiastuti akhirnya membentuk Satuan Tugas (Satgas) pemberantasan Illegal Unreported and Unregulated (IUU) Fishing sebagai bentuk tindak lanjut dari kebijakan penghentian izin (moratorium) kapal dengan kapasitas 30 Gross Ton (GT) yang telah dilakukannya beberapa waktu lalu.

Susi menjelaskan bahwa pembentukan Satgas ini diperkuat dengan Peraturan Menteri Kelautan dan Perikanan Nomor 57 tahun 2014. Atas dasar Peraturan Menteri tersebut, Menteri Susi menunjuk Deputi VI Kepala Unit Kerja Presiden bidang Pengawasan Pengendalian Pembangunan (UKP4), MAS Ahmad Santosa sebagai Ketua Satgas IUU Fishing yang mulai bekerja pada tanggal 8 Desember 2014.

“Jadi tugas untuk Satgas ini nantinya akan melakukan perbaikan tata kelola perizinan, memantau proses moratorium agar sesuai dengan ketentuan, verifikasi terhadap kapal eks kapal asing dan menghitung kerugian negara akibat illegal fishing,” terang Susi di Gedung Minabahari 1, Kantor Kelautan dan Perikanan, Jakarta, Senin (08/12).

Lebih lanjut, Susi memaparkan jajaran Satgas lainnya, seperti komposisi Wakil Ketua diisi oleh Inspektur Jenderal Kementerian Kelautan dan Perikanan (KKP) Andha Fauzi Miraza sebagai Wakil Ketua I, Wakil Ketua I lain yakni mantan Ketua Pusat Pelaporan dan Analisis Transaksi Keuangan (PPATK) Yunus Husein.

Satuan Tugas (Satgas) pemberantasan Illegal Unreported and Unregulated Fishing akan dibantu pihak kepolisian dan TNI. Foto: greeners.co/Danny Kosasih

Adapun untuk anggota, tambahnya, diisi oleh Inspektur V Inspektorat Jenderal KKP Herman Suherman, Sekretaris Direktorat Jenderal Pengawasan Sumber Daya Kelautan dan Perikanan KKP Ida Kusuma Wardhaningsih, Brigjen Pol Drs. Firman Santyabudi dari PPATK, Muhamad Sidik dari Bea Cukai, Kombes Pol. Didid Widjanarko dari Mabes Polri dan Mardianto dari UKP4.

Sebelumnya, Menteri Kelautan dan Perikanan, Susi Pudjiastuti, mengatakan, bahwa kebijakan penghentian izin kapal dengan kapasitas 30 GT yang dilakukan oleh Kementeriannya mulai membuahkan hasil. Susi mengklaim kebijakan yang telah dikeluarkan mulai dirasakan oleh masyarakat, khususnya nelayan.

Selain itu, KKP juga telah menerapkan kebijakan larangan bongkar muat di tengah laut. Hal ini dilakukan karena Susi mengaku mendapatkan pengaduan dari pengusaha ikan, bahwa biasanya ikan hasil melaut tidak dibawa sepenuhnya ke darat.

“Saya mendapatkan sms kalau kadang kapal itu pulang bawa ikan namun setengahnya di jual oleh ABK,” katanya.

(G09)