Vietnamese Ships Damage the Natuna Sea, Local Fishermen Increasingly Miserable

Vietnamese ships not only deplete fish resources in the Natuna Sea, but also cause acute ecological damage.

KOMPAS/PANDU WIYOGA

The Vietnamese tiger trawler that was escorted by officials from the Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries is preparing to dock at the PSDKP Batam Base on Saturday night (5/4/2024).

The intrusion of Vietnamese ships continues to be rampant in the North Natuna Sea. Not only does it drain fish, the trawl-type fishing gear used by foreign ships also damages the seabed ecosystem in the waters of Indonesia's exclusive economic zone (EEZ).

On Saturday (4/5/2024), the Orca 02 patrol boat belonging to the Ministry of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries (KKP) captured two Vietnamese trawlers in the North Natuna Sea. A total of 15 foreign crew members were arrested and 15 tonnes of illegal fish confiscated.

Acting Director General of Marine Resources and Fisheries Supervision (PSDKP-KKP) Pung Nugroho Saksono, in Batam, said that the arrests began with complaints from anxious Natuna fishermen. The two Vietnamese ships have been towed to the Batam PSDKP Base for investigation.

“This ship has disturbed fishermen. The use of trawls damages coral reefs. "The ecological damage that occurs is far greater than the economic loss," said Pung.

KOMPAS/PANDU WIYOGA

The Acting Director General of PSDKP-KKP, Pung Nugroho Saksono (center), answered questions from journalists regarding the capture of two Vietnamese fishing boats during a press conference at the PSDKP Base in Batam on Saturday (5/4/2024) evening.

She added that the capture of foreign fishing vessels was an order from Minister of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries, Sakti Wahyu Trenggono. The Minister always emphasizes that ecological sustainability must be maintained. We do not want our future generations to be unable to enjoy an abundant supply of fish in the sea.

"Why do fishermen from other countries steal fish in our seas, because their seas have been destroyed and there are no fish because the ships use fishing gear that is not environmentally friendly, such as trawling," said Pung.

Two Vietnamese ships were captured for fishing within 5 nautical miles (9.26 kilometers) from the Indonesia-Vietnam EEZ border. The two ship captains have been named as suspects for illegal fishing.

KOMPAS/PANDU WIYOGA

Acting Director General of Marine and Fisheries Resources Supervision and Coordination (PSDKP-KKP) Pung Nugroho Saksono (left) shows small-sized fish caught by Vietnamese Tiger Prawn trawlers during a press conference at the PSDKP Base in Batam on Saturday (4/5/2024) evening.

"Even though it's only 5 nautical miles, for us every inch of the border area must be defended. This is a form of our presence and quick response in carrying out law enforcement at sea," said Pung.

Nevertheless, Pung acknowledges that there are still obstacles to conducting regular patrols in the North Natuna Sea. One of them is the lack of budget to purchase fuel for the patrol fleet.

"We overcome those (challenges) in various ways. One of them is cooperating with other agencies, such as the Indonesian Sea Security Agency, the Indonesian Navy, and the Water Police. We work together, taking turns in patrols, so that the sea is not empty," he said.

Also read: The peak of foreign ship intrusion in Natuna, patrol officers are actually hampered by fuel prices

KOMPAS/PANDU WIYOGA

Two Vietnamese fishing boat captains who were designated as suspects for illegally fishing in the North Natuna Sea were presented during a press conference at the Batam PSDKP Base on Saturday (5/4/2024) night.

Local fishermen are miserable

According to the Chairman of Natuna Fisherman Alliance, Hendri, the rampant intrusion of Vietnamese ships is depleting local fish resources. Many local fishermen have to move to the eastern waters bordering Malaysia.

On April 16th, eight local fishermen were arrested by the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (APMM) while fishing in the waters bordering Pulau Serasan, Natuna, and Sarawak State, Malaysia. According to the fishermen, they were still in Indonesian waters.

One of the main ideas we convey is that fishermen should not be treated like criminals.

From the coordinates provided by the fisherman, three Natuna fishermen's boats were caught by the APMM's Tun Fatimah ship at coordinates around 4 degrees north latitude and 110 degrees east longitude. That location is in a grey area due to the overlapping of Exclusive Economic Zone (ZEE) claims between Indonesia and Malaysia.

KOMPAS/PANDU WIYOGA

The location of the capture of Natuna fishermen by Malaysian coast guards. The blue dashed line indicates Indonesia's Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) claim, and the green dashed line indicates Malaysia's EEZ claim.

The Head of the Border Management Agency of the Riau Islands Doli Boniara, stated on Wednesday (May 1, 2024) that the provincial government is deeply concerned about the incident that befell the fishermen in Natuna. Proposals regarding the issue have been submitted by the relevant area to the National Border Management Agency.

"One of the main points we conveyed is that fishermen should not be treated like criminals. They only catch fish to survive," said Doli.

The fishermen captured by Malaysian authorities are at risk of being imprisoned for 3-6 months and fined between IDR 1 billion to IDR 3 billion. Additionally, their boats and fishing equipment will also be confiscated.

Also read: Imprisoned and Chained in Malaysia, a Blurry Portrait of Natuna Fishermen Lost in Their Own Sea

ALIANSI NELAYAN NATUNA

The condition of fishermen from Natuna Regency, Riau Islands, when they arrived in Tanjung Sirih, Sarawak, Malaysia, Friday (19/4/2024).

The Indonesian Consulate General in Kuching, Malaysia has recorded that throughout 2024, 14 Natuna fishermen were arrested by the Coast Guard or APMM in the waters of Sarawak. In addition to the incident on April 16th, APMM also arrested two fishermen on February 9th and four individuals on March 9th.

Regarding the arrest of eight Natuna fishermen by the APMM on April 16, Pung emphasized that PSDKP had verified the location information of the arrest from the fishermen. As a result, the coordinates of the fishermen corresponded with PSDKP's data. The Natuna fishermen were arrested by the APMM while they were still in Indonesia's EEZ.

"We have already clarified this matter to APMM, and they have acknowledged and stopped the investigation. After this, if the fishermen are released into the sea, we will pick them up," said Pung.