61 Vietnamese Nabbed For Poaching In Riau Islands Waters

BATAM (Riau Islands) Jan 9 - Indonesian water patrol police have nabbed 61 Vietnamese crew for poaching using trawlers in Riau Islands waters, Indonesia's news agency ANTARA reported.

Commander of Water Patrol Boat Bisma 8001 Adjunct Senior Commissioner Sigit N Hidayat said Thursday the crew members were detained on Jan 4 along with four boats and three tonnes of fish at two separate locations around 15 miles off Jemaja Isle, Anambas District.

"The loss from fish that has been caught amounts to hundreds of millions, but the environmental damage caused by the trawlers is even worse," Sigit said.

The Vietnamese crew had earlier applied for permits to fish in the Riau Islands waters at the Batam maritime affairs and fisheries office but their request was turned down.

The group went ahead to poach fish in Riau Islands on their way back to Vietnam.

The Vietnamese boats were reportedly spotted poaching regularly in Indonesian waters since last September.

In July last year, four Thai fishing boats were caught fishing illegally in the seas off eastern Aceh by Indonesian maritime authorities.

A total of 36 crew including 8 Thai and 28 Myanmar nationals were detained.

BERNAMA