Illegal Foreign Vessels Now Afraid to Enter Indonesian Territory: President Jokowi

President Jokowi has a dialogue with a fisherman in a silaturahmi at the State Palace, Jakarta, Tuesday (8/5) afternoon (Photo: Jay/Human Relations Division).

After met truck drivers, President Joko ‘Jokowi’ Widodo hold a silaturahmi (an amicable gathering) with representatives of Indonesian fishermen as well as participants of the 2018 Rembug Nasional (a national gathering) and the 7^th Musyawarah Nasional (national deliberation) of Indonesian Fishermen Association (HSNI), at the State Palace, Jakarta, Tuesday (8/5) afternoon.

In his remark, President Jokowi conveyed that in three and half years, Ministry of Maritime and Fisheries Affairs has sunk 363 illegal foreign vessels crossing Indonesian sea territory. Whereas the number of illegal foreign vessels in Indonesian territory, the President further said, are counted for 7,000s. “Now (the vessels) are afraid to enter Indonesia. There are one, two, three but those were caught by Ibu Susi and sunk directly,” President Jokowi said while appointing Susi Pudjiastuti, Minister of Maritime and Fisheries Affairs, presented in the event.

It means, the President further said, fishes illegally caught by those vessels are now available for our fishermen. If it is not, the President added, it means the fishes are not yet bred. “Maybe we should wait for a year or two, but Bu Susi’s report said it is already increased. However, we must all replace the use of harmful to the environment fishing net. If we do not change it, we will get the consequences ourselves,” President Jokowi explained.

On the occasion, President Jokowi narrated his visit to Pangandaran, West Java Province, couple days ago. According to the President, many fishermen told him, formerly there were many fishes, but now it is not easy to find one. “We must bring back the fishes again. Not only in Pangandaran, but also in all spots where our fishermen life from sea fishery,” the President explained.

The President stressed, the Government does not intend to slow down or hinder or ban, none of those. Moreover, the President said that the Government only wants the best for the fishermen. “We are informed what happened in the location, we know there are foreign vessels confessing as our fishermen,” the President conveyed while adding that fishermen must also catch fishes.

The President also reminded fishermen to follow the existing world technology development. He exemplified offshore submersible cage recently installed in Pangandaran, Karimunjawa, and Sabang.

That the example. I check in person on the middle of the sea, 8 miles from beach. If other countries apply it and we do not, we might be left behind,” President Jokowi further said.

Also presented on the occasion were, among others, Minister of Maritime and Fisheries Affairs Susi Pudjiastuti, Chief of Presidential Staff Moeldoko, and echelons I of the Ministry of Maritime and Fisheries Affairs, as well as participants of Munas VII HINSI. (FID/JAY/ES) (EPI/YM/Naster)