JAKARTA: Indonesian authorities sank 23 foreign fishing boats on Tuesday, saying they were “operating illegally in the archipelago’s vast waters in continuation efforts for anti-poaching,” China’s Xinhua news agency reported.
The vessels, which include 13 Vietnamese and 10 Malaysian boats, were sunk in the waters of seven locations including Sumatra island’s Batam and Aceh.
Tuesday’s event, which was attended by police and navy personnel, marked the third sinking of foreign poaching boats so far this year and Indonesia has scuttled 174 of such ships since 2014.
“The government will continue to sink poaching ships,” Minister of Maritime and Fisheries Susi Pudjiastuti told reporters in Jakarta.
Since taking office in October 2014, Indonesian President Joko Widodo has called on a war against illegal fishing and ordered authorities to take tough measures in tackling poaching.--BERNAMA