Indonesia sinks 27 foreign boats to stop illegal fishing

Four of eight confiscated Vietnamese fishing boats are destroyed in Mempawah Regency, West Kalimantan, Indonesia February 22, 2016 in this photo taken by Antara Foto. The Ministry of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries, together with the Indonesian Navy, destroyed 30 foreign fishing vessels in different locations across the country, which were seized earlier for illegal fishing in Indonesian waters. REUTERS/Jessica Helena Wuysang/Antara Foto ATTENTION EDITORS - THIS IMAGE HAS BEEN SUPPLIED BY A THIRD PARTY. IT IS DISTRIBUTED, EXACTLY AS RECEIVED BY REUTERS, AS A SERVICE TO CLIENTS. FOR EDITORIAL USE ONLY. NOT FOR SALE FOR MARKETING OR ADVERTISING CAMPAIGNS MANDATORY CREDIT. INDONESIA OUT. NO COMMERCIAL OR EDITORIAL SALES IN INDONESIA. TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY

JAKARTA: Indonesia sank 27 impounded foreign boats on Monday, a minister said, as the world’s largest archipelago nation stepped up a campaign against illegal fishing in its waters.

The empty vessels from the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia and Myanmar were blown up or scuttled at five separate locations across the country, said Fisheries Minister Susi Pudjiastuti.

The boats had been all caught fishing illegally in the archipelago of more than 17,000 islands. Four Indonesian boats were also sunk after they were caught fishing without proper documentation.

“The government is taking stronger and firmer action to enforce regulations to keep our waters safe,” Pudjiastuti, a key figure in the campaign against illegal fishing, told journalists.

Indonesia has sunk foreign boats on several occasions since the government launched the drive to combat illegal fishing, with President Joko Widodo claiming the practice costs the country’s economy billions of dollars annually.

However, the campaign has caused tensions with other countries in the region. China last year expressed concern after a Chinese boat was blown up. -AFP