Pontianak, W Kalimantan (ANTARA) - Indonesia's Ministry of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries (KKP) intercepted and detained five Vietnamese-flagged fishing boats on grounds of poaching in the Natuna waters, Riau Islands Province.
"We seized five foreign fishing boats bearing Vietnamese flags when they were about to steal or catch squids in the northern Natuna Sea, Riau Islands," Acting Director General of Marine Resources and Fisheries Monitoring (PSDKP) Antam Novambar stated at the Rengas River here, Monday.
A total of 20 crew members of the foreign boats were also placed in detention.
"Currently, the five foreign boats and their 20 crew members have been moved to PSDKP Pontianak, pending the legal process," he remarked.
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The boats were vessels specialized for catching squid and had often conducted poaching of squid in the northern Natuna Sea over the past two months.
"Fishermen of the five foreign boats attempted to evade arrest by colliding their boats into a joint patrol boat," he revealed.
According to the KKP ministry's data, some 100 foreign fishing boats were detained for poaching in the Indonesian waters in 2020.
Since January 2021, some 72 fishing boats, including 12 foreign vessels, were seized.
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