Abraham Tullalessy of Pattimura University's School of Fishery and Maritime Science, said this week that not enough is being done to protect Indonesia's marine resources.
Waters such as the Arafura Sea, one of the world's richest fishing grounds, is being plundered by foreign fishermen, and little is being done to combat illegal fishing activity, said Tullalessy.
"Court rulings should serve as a deterrent to prevent our natural wealth from being looted just like that," he said. "The war on illegal fishing needs the strong commitment of law enforcers as well as the government."
The Arafura Sea yields approximately 3.8 million metric tons of seafood annually, but the Indonesian economy isn't benefiting much because the waters are heavily fished by foreign fleets.
From March 2008 to March 2009, 21 vessels were seized in Maluku waters for illegal fishing, and most of the cases have been submitted to the prosecutor's office. Of the 21 vessels, eight (four from South Korea and four from Thailand) are now being tried.
In 2007, 14 vessels were intercepted in Maluku waters for illegal fishing, but all of them were released.
Commander Rizski Ferdiansyah, head of the Maluku Police illegal fishing team, said the fines imposed are nothing compared with the revenue loss to the state.
April 20, 2009
