Indonesia plans to sink at least 30 foreign vessels caught by the authorities while conducting illegal fishing in its waters, Minister of Maritime and Fisheries Susi Pudjiastuti announced on June 21.

She said that the foreign boats involved in illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing activities were arrested by joint teams from her ministry, the navy and the coastguard. The boats will be blown up on July 9-10.

Indonesia sinks foreign boats for illegal fishing in its waters (Photo: Reuters)

Earlier, an official from the ministry said that patrol boats captured six fishing vessels from the Philippines and Vietnam on June 15-16. The Indonesian navy also seized one Chinese fishing boat with seven fishermen for poaching in its sea territory on June 18.

According to Susi Pudjiastuti, Indonesia has sunken a total of 176 foreign fishing boats across the nation since October last year.

Warnings to sink fishing boats conducting illegal fishing activities in Indonesia were sent to the ambassadors of several countries in Indonesia on November 4, 2015.

(Source: VNA)