Indonesia declares war on IUU fishing

Measures could include sinking illegal vessels.

Jokowi declares war on illegal fishing

Responding to rampant illegal fishing in the country’s territorial waters, President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo has ordered drastic measures be taken against foreign ships stealing fish from Indonesia’s seas, including sinking them on the spot.

In a speech delivered to participants of the National Resilience Institute’s (Lemhannas) annual training, President Jokowi said the drastic measures were justified given that the country had lost around Rp 300 trillion (US$24.7 billion) annually from illegal fishing and that firm action was necessary to stem further losses.

“There is no need to arrest them [the illegal fishing boats]; just sink them,” Jokowi said, to applause from an audience that packed a meeting hall in the Presidential Palace.

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Source: thejakartapost.com