The Marine Affairs and Fisheries Ministry has pledged to impose legal sanction against those using "cantrang" fishing gear in the Indonesian waters to ensure the implementation of sustainable fishing.
"We can assure that fishing vessels with cantrang are operated ilegally. This will threaten the implementation of sustainable fishing. It is therefore we affirm that we will take legal measures," Director General of Marine Resource and Fishing at the ministry Rear Admiral Adin Nurawaluddin said in a statement here on Sunday.
Adin noted that the ban on cantrang fishing gear is stipulated in the Marine Affairs and Fisheries Minister Regulation no. 18/2020.
Cantrang is a kind of Danish seine net, a fishing instrument identified as unsustainable and not environmentally friendly.
The ministry has conducted socialization of the regulation, and facilitate fishermen to replace their fishing gears with more environmental friendly tools.
Adin has called on ship owners and operators to adhere to the regulation.
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"We already conducted socialization on cantrang ban, so there is no excuse for them to use cantrang," he remarked.
The ministry has recently conducted socialization on measurable fishing in Tegal and Pati, Central Java.
At the event, the ministry's Director of Marine Resource Monitoring Drama Panca Putra noted that legal measures would be imposed to owners as well as operators of fishing vessel using cantrang fishing gear.
"We also warn ship owners. We will take stern measures not only against the operators but also owners of the ships. Violation on cantrang ban would be charged with the criminal code and the law on money laundering," he said.
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