Indonesia Maritime defence and security issue

[katarabhumi]

Susi Pudjiastuti : Many Ships evade Taxes
WEDNESDAY, 09 MARCH, 2016

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Low tax uptake from the fisheries sector has prompted Marine Affairs and Fisheries Minister Susi Pudjiastuti to launch another bold initiative. The action includes a review of vessel weights and an increase in fishery-production tax rates for bigger ships. The move is meant to make fishing firms' contribution to state coffers proportional to their incomes.

As a result of the policy, several companies have lodged protests with the House of Representatives (DPR). Susi, however, remains unfazed. At the ministerial housing complex in Widya Chandra, South Jakarta, last week, Susi said she would not hesitate to crack down on shady business practices and the players behind them.


Why is it that many big vessels are unable to operate because of your policy?

They are phony companies. The vessels aren't theirs. They are foreign ships. Our foreign ship analysis and evaluation put them on a blacklist, and the ships will finally be confiscated by the state. Those who were not put on the blacklist will be allowed to return home.


What about the companies claiming that the vessels have been legitimately purchased?

We haven't found them. If the purchases are legitimate, where's the evidence of transfer? They have all lied. We don't just impose bans. If we are mistaken, we are inviting (the aggrieved parties to file) lawsuits with the state administrative court. Even Tomy Winata has agreed to de-register his boat. Yorrys Raweyaiwas has also been silent. We've done it all properly. If further investigated, all of them will be seen as committing fraud. Then, we could just sink their vessels.


Why aren't there any taxable fishing enterprises in operation?

There's no contribution to tax because everything in the fisheries sector is illegal. No data is available. The quantity of fish is also unclear. Many big ships are put in the names of housewives, pedicab drivers or chauffeurs. We've found such practices in Bali, where there are no actual companies, no officers either. That's why we're putting it in order, as we're targeting to achieve legal, reported, and regulated fishing. Therefore, business associations shouldn't keep on raising misleading issues.


So the higher rates of fishery production tax (PHP) are meant to increase the sector's tax contribution?

Correct. Juwana wooden ships measuring 60-70 gross tons (GT), for instance, can net Rp2-3 billion in yearly income. They previously paid only Rp1-2 million in PHP. Now we've raised the amount to Rp50 million annually. This is still low. Bigger ships, like those measuring 150 GT, are subjected to taxes of Rp200 million. The rate is normal because the number of large vessels is small. So why have so many of them lodged protests? It's because they've so far been involved in markdowns.


What do you make of complaints about delays in the issuance of ship licenses?

Not everybody with money should be able build ships and be given license to fish. To do so could deplete fish stocks. Many countries have limited their fishing volumes. The National Commission for Fish Resources has established the maximum fishing volume in Indonesia at 9.5 million tons. In reality, the total has reached 15 million tons. When the quota is exceeded, we will stop licensing.

Previously, individuals applied for licenses by exerting pressure, by using connections with officials, relevant personnel or House lawmakers. We are trying to put a stop to that. This policy is meant to protect fishermen so they can get their fair share of fish again.

Susi Pudjiastuti : Many Ships evade Taxes | Interview | Tempo.Co :: Indonesian News Portal

 

[anas_nurhafidz]

Welldone, keep update!

 

[pr1v4t33r]

37GT Illegal fishing boat from Malaysia,TW.128/F.Teluk Cowei, seized by Indonesian marine police around Karang Unarang waters, Nunukan, East Kalimantan (10/3/2016)

Kapal Malaysia dengan nama,TW.128/F.Teluk Cowei 37 GT ditangkap di koordinat 04"07'000"LU118" 10' BT. Penangkapan dilakukan pada Kamis (10/3) pukul 06.20 WITA. Dalam kasus ini, lanjutnya, 3 warga Malaysia diamankan. Mereka terdiri dari 1 nakhoda bernama Akik bin Amin (29) dengan dua ABK, Sukri (45) dan Ilham (14). Dalam kapal ini juga ditemukan 100 kg ikan campuran dan 80 udang.

Kapal Penangkap Ikan Malaysia Disergap Polisi di Perairan Nunukan

 

[pr1v4t33r]

Pingtan pushed into red by Indonesia fishing moratorium
Chinese fishing firm Pingtan Marine's 2015 financial year was heavily affected by Indoesia's moratorium on fishing activity, sending it into loss-making territory.

In December 2014 the Indonesian government introduced a six-month moratorium on issuing new fishing licenses and renewals, so that its ministry of maritime affairs and fisheries (MMAF) could monitor the operations of existing fleets, in a bid to combat illegal fishing.

Of Pingtan's 135 vessels, 117 operate in Indonesia's Arafura Sea. To cooperate with the country's licence check procedures, from February 2015 Pingtan temporarily ceased operations of the 117 vessels licensed to fish there.

As a result, revenue from Pingtan's fishing business for the financial year ended Dec. 31, 2015, came to $60.7 million, down from $233.4m the year before. Gross loss was $2.8m, compared to a profit of $77.6m; gross margin was 4.6%, down from 33.2%.

Pingtan pushed into red by Indonesia fishing moratorium | Undercurrent News

 

[pr1v4t33r]

Indonesian government to sink 1.322GT illegal fishing vessel, FV Viking today (14/3/2016)

The Indonesian Government is to sink the FV Viking vessel, wanted by the Interpol for several marine regulation infringements, in Pangandaran Waters, West Java Province on Monday (March 14). "The FV Viking which has been the Norwegian Interpols fugitive had been arrested in the Indonesian waters and will be sunken tomorrow," Head of Public Relation and Cooperation of the Ministry of Marine and Fishery Affairs Lilly Aprilya Pregiwati said here Sunday on a press release.

The sinking ceremony will take place at the Susi Airs air strip in Tanjung Bantu Mandi, Pangandaran, West Java. The Indonesian President and some ambassadors are scheduled to attend the ceremony. Previously, Minister of Marine and Fishery Affairs Susi Pudjiastuti revealed that the interpol fugitive vessel had changed its name 13 times and used 12 different flags that the fishing vessel was said as a stateless vessel.

The FV Viking was allegedly to violate some international law and convention and fraud concerning its illegal fishing practice. The vessel was captured by a joint Navy team at Tanjung Berakit water, Bintan District of Riau Islands Province on Thursday (Feb 25).

Commander of Naval base Lantamal IV/Tanjung Pinang Marine Colonel (P) S Irawan said the Navys Warship KRI Sultan Toha Saifuddin-376 was and a Helicopter Bolco NP 408 were deployed to conduct the arrest.

The authority arrested eleven ships crew members from several nationalities such as Myanmar, Argentina, Peru and Indonesia. The boss or head of the FV Viking was identified as a Burmese, Irawan said.

Indonesian government to sink interpol fugitive vessel FV Viking - ANTARA News

 

[pr1v4t33r]

Indonesia Sinks Interpol's Most Wanted Illegal Fishing Vessel
Indonesian authorities on Monday bombed the last major ship internationally wanted for years of illegally taking toothfish from southern waters, reiterating a strong message to would-be poachers who enter the country's waters.
Indonesia blows up illegal toothfish ship sought by Interpol - Yahoo News

"Half of FV Viking will be sunk in Pangandaran to be made into a monument against illegal fishing - Jkw," President Jokowi tweeted on his Twitter account @jokowi on Monday morning.

 

[pr1v4t33r]

5 illegal fishing boats (3 from Malaysia & 2 from Vietnam) seized by Indonesian Marine Police & Marine and Fishery patrol in the last 2 days (15&16 /3/2016)

Tim Gabungan Polisi Perairan Polda Aceh bersama Direktorat Jenderal Pengawasan Sumberdaya Kelautan dan Perikanan Kementerian Kelautan dan Perikanan, berhasil menangkap lima kapal asing ilegal di perairan Aceh Timur. Kapal berbendera Malaysia dan Vietnam itu ditangkap dalam dua hari terakhir, 15 dan 16 Maret 2016.

Dua Hari Terakhir, Lima Kapal Ikan Asing Ditangkap

More than 40 illegal foreign fishing vessels have been seized in the last 2.5 months - RIP

Kementerian Kelautan dan Perikanan (KKP) menyatakan selama tahun 2016 ini, pemerintah Indonesia telah berhasil menangkap puluhan kapal ikan Asing (KIA) yang masuk ke wilayah perairan Indonesia. "Total selama 2,5 bulan, menangkap lebih dari 40 kapal tangkapan baru," kata Menteri Kelautan dan Perikanan Susi Pudjiastuti di rumah dinasnya, Jalan Widya Chandra, Jakarta Selatan, Rabu, 16 Maret 2016.

Baru 2,5 Bulan Sudah 40 Kapal Pencuri Ikan Ditangkap

 

[pr1v4t33r]

More than 3500 units, 35GT eco-friendly Mina Maritim fishing boats, are given for free by the government to Indonesian fisherman groups in 2016

 

[pr1v4t33r]

Illegal Fishing Boats Capsized on Aceh Waters
The illegal fishing boats are from Malaysia and Thailand. Aceh Maritime Police also secured 3 foreign crews on the Malaysia ship, PKFB 1035 and 4 foreign crews on the Thailand ship, KHF 1959.

Bakamla Declares War Againts Smuggling and Illegal Fishing
New head of the Sea Security Agency (Bakamla) Rear Admiral Arie Soedewo pledged to carry out the instruction of President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) to stamp out smuggling and illegal fishing from Indonesia waters.

Arie said Bakamla is preparing a "stinging" strategy against anyone backing up the illegal operations.

"I will make myself a bulldozer for the President and Marine and Fisheries Minister Susi Pudjiastuti in the sea against smuggling and illegal fishing," he said here on Friday.

readmore: Bakamla Declares War Againts Smuggling and Illegal Fishing - ANTARA News Jawa Timur - ANTARA News Jawa Timur - Berita Terkini Jawa Timur

 

[pr1v4t33r]

Palace Corner
Sudut Istana (TVRI) 06042016 - Ibu Susi Pudjiastuti "Kondisi Perikanan di Indonesia"

"Sudut Istana" merupakan program baru kerjasama antara Tim Komunikasi Presiden (TKP), TVRI, dan Kementerian Komunikasi dan Informatika (Kominfo). Pada episode perdana ini, Sudut Istana dihadiri oleh tamu spesial yaitu Menteri Kelautan dan Perikanan, Ibu Susi Pudjiastuti. Tirai Acara: Sukardi Rinakit dan Host: Herdina Suherdi & Kusmanto Anggoro.

 

[pr1v4t33r]

Inaguration of 4 units Marine & Fishery patrol vessels

4 illegal foreign fishing boats (3 with thailand flag, 1 with malaysian flag) seized by Indonesian Marine & Fishery patrol (10/4/2016)

4 Kapal Asing Pencuri Ikan Kembali Ditangkap PSDKP - JPNN.com

 

[pr1v4t33r]

3 illegal foreign fishing boats from Malaysia seized by Indonesian Marine & Fishery patrol on tuesday, 12/4/2016

http://www.dnaberita.com/berita-17799-kapal-patroli-kkp-jaring-3-kapal-ikan-ilegal-malaysia-.html

 

[pr1v4t33r]

Taiwan's Illegal Fishing Is 'Out of Control'
Illegal fishing has Taiwan facing a ban on seafood exports to the EU.

The Taiwanese fleet of longline tuna vessels is the largest in the world, supplying the world’s largest seafood companies, such as the Thai Union. But the industry is fraught with illegal activities, both in fishing and labor practices. Nudged into action by a threatened ban on exports to the European Union, the Taiwanese government has been trying to address the issue of illegal fishing.

A year-long Greenpeace investigation found that Taiwan’s tuna fishing industry is “out of control” – citing evidence for persistent shark finning, illegal tuna fishing, and forced labor and human rights abuses at sea. But more importantly, the investigative report criticizes the Taiwanese government, stating that Taiwan “knows these issues exist, [but] does little to address them despite domestic and international requirements.”

Last year, in October 2015, the European Union slapped Taiwan with a “yellow card” for not taking sufficient measures to combat illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing, after holding a dialogue with Taiwan on the issue since 2012. In particular, it pointed to Taiwan’s inadequate monitoring, control, and surveillance of long-distance fleets, the EU said in a press release. The EU has been cracking down on illegal fishing since 2010. At least 15 percent of world catches were caught illegally, amounting to 10 billion euros ($11.3 billion) per year, the EU reiterates in their press release.

Taiwan has been struggling to combat IUU fishing and implement effective regulation following international pressure on its longline tuna fleet in the 2000s. But monitoring and vessel licensing remained less stringent and effective on smaller, often family-run, longline vessels. While Taiwan was the first in Asia to fully ban shark finning, not much has changed on the high seas due to ineffective enforcement and an inadequate deterrent of investigations and penalties, as the Greenpeace report intends to demonstrate – the investigation, which took place in just one port, identified at least 16 illegal shark-finning cases in three months.

Over the course of the investigation, Greenpeace’s Rainbow Warrior caught a Taiwanese long-distance vessel in September 2015, the Sheun De Ching No. 888, illegally fishing for tuna. Upon boarding the vessel, Greenpeace discovered a load of shark fins that were detached from the shark’s bodies (which presumably were thrown back into sea). Log books were window-dressed to misrepresent the vessel’s catch. The Sheun De Ching No. 888 was only “the tip of the iceberg,” says Renee Chou, communication officer for Greenpeace’s Taiwan office. “It goes to show how difficult it is to control fishing in the High Seas.”

But that was not all. Like in the high-profile uncovering of the Thai fishing industry a year ago, the Greenpeace report documents that human rights abuses, forced labor, and human trafficking are equally existent in the Taiwanese longline fishing fleet. “Thailand is unique in terms of the architectural depth and scale of the abuse where the entire fishing fleet was effectively being staffed by migrant labor, and hence the abuses were much more prevalent,” says Steve Trent, executive director of the Environmental Justice Foundation.

But the Taiwanese fishing industry is fraught with abuse as well. “They would beat everyone. They did not feed us regularly. They would pull you and hit you. With a bicycle pump until your head will bleed,” states an account of an interview with a fishermen in the Greenpeace report. A lot of fishermen worked up to 22 hours each day, and would see little to nothing of the money they worked so hard for, the report says.

However, the yellow card given to Taiwan by the EU only concerned combating IUU fishing, and it gave Taiwan six months to improve their legal framework and take measures. Those six months have passed, and Taiwan has not yet received a “red card” – which would entail Taiwan being banned from exporting seafood to the EU, a trade that was worth 14 million EUR ($15.8 million) in 2014.

Taiwan may have averted the EU’s “red card” as it was nudged into action last October to improve their legal framework and seek better regional cooperation to combat IUU fishing. In March, just before the end of the six-month period since the yellow card, the Executive Yuan passed a draft bill (Regulations on Distant Fisheries) and a revision to an existing fishery law in an attempt to address the EU’s legal concerns. Among the key features of these draft bills are the requirement that all vessels install a vessel monitoring system and report back daily on catches, keep a digital log book, and obtain a permit before landing their catch. In addition, penalties for IUU activities will substantially be increased.

It was about time Taiwan addressed its legal framework, argues Greenpeace. The Fisheries Act is outdated — it dates back to 1930, with only a few revisions over the past century. But the problem, says Chou of Greenpeace, is that the new legislation may “motivate fishermen to just register in other countries to avoid the new more stringent laws.” But, she adds, the EU is also aware of this and Taiwan’s Fisheries Agency may have to find a way to prevent this.

The minister for the Council of Agriculture, Chen Chih-ching, reportedly said it is impossible to pass and implement these bills before the EU’s initial deadline, but that the EU would extend the deadline by another six months if they approve progress made.

Taiwan has also been entering, or talking about entering, into Memoranda of Understanding with other countries in the region, such as Thailand, Japan, and the Philippines. Thailand’s Agriculture and Cooperatives Minister, General Chatchai Sarikulya, said the agreement focuses on tuna fishing, where both countries will share information on fishing licenses, boat registration, and landfalls.

Regional cooperation would not only enhance effective enforcement, it would also address some of the tensions caused by fishing incidents. A few weeks ago, Indonesia, which has taken a tough and violent stance to combat IUU fishing, fired at a Taiwanese vessel suspected of illegally fishing for tuna within Indonesia’s waters. “With overlapping EEZs and traditional fishing grounds, the Philippines, Indonesia, and Japan are the main three countries [with which] Taiwan coastal fishermen usually have a conflict, encountering pirate or cross-zone fishing,” says Fay Lee of Greenpeace.

But, to Steve Trent of the Environmental Justice Foundation, regional cooperation is only as good as its weakest spot, as fishermen may move to different jurisdictions. The key to successful enforcement, he says, is to start by implementing a digitized system where certificates and licenses are kept in a database so they can easily be shared and mined for data, as well as requiring vessels to digitize their log books and adopt robust and standardized vessel monitoring systems. “Five to ten years ago it would be disproportionate to require these technologies to be installed, but now they cost only a few hundred dollars,” he says. “Bear in mind their catch is often worth millions of dollars.”

Effective enforcement is perhaps a bigger problem in Taiwan than its legal framework. After the discovery of the Sheun De Ching No. 888’s illegal fishing activities, the Fisheries Agency merely imposed a license suspension of 12 months and a fine of $4,623 – insufficient to deter illegal fishing, Greenpeace argues. In a report released on April 14, Greenpeace states that the evidence suggests the Fisheries Agency’s investigation was inadequate and superficial, “inferring that, despite the presence of an EU yellow card, its controls are inadequate, violations, breaches and crimes may be ignored or swept under the carpet.” It “leaves the world with the impression that in Taiwanese fisheries, crime pays.”

These enforcement measures, and the ban on trans-shipment at sea that the Taiwan has now also proposed to implement, would also make a great difference to combat human rights abuses at sea. “There are a few very basic measures, in our view, that would transform the reputation and the practical responses of the abuse that is taking place at sea,” says Trent. “It is not rocket science,” he says, “but what often lacks is political will.” The IUU fishing and labor rights abuses go hand-in-hand, and cracking down on the former will have a positive effect on the latter.

The EU’s yellow-carding system may ultimately be effective in the Pacific region – as it forces countries to make strides in improving both the legal framework and their monitoring and enforcement mechanisms. It “is Europe at its best,” according to Trent. The EU is “exporting best practice, showing leadership on a global scale; it is leveraging the power of the world’s largest market place to deliver sustainability and indeed improve human rights abuses,” he says.

The owners of these longliner vessels are the obvious losers of this dynamic. Taiwan’s fishing industry has reportedly asked the Taiwanese government to stand up against the EU. But if they want to keep one of their biggest export markets open, it is in their interest to comply with EU regulations and stay within the lines of the new more stringent laws.

http://thediplomat.com/2016/04/taiwans-illegal-fishing-is-out-of-control/

 

[pr1v4t33r]

Singaporean flag, 2442 GT illegal fuel supply vessel, MV Tourmaline, seized by Indonesian navy around Batam waters (14/4/2016)

http://kepri.antaranews.com/berita/37540/kapal-penyalur-bbm-ilegal-berbendera-singapura-ditangkap

 

[pr1v4t33r]

Curbs on illegal fishing deliver 'amazing' results

Tough policies to curb poaching in Indonesia's waters have helped double the catch of some legal fishermen, said Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Minister Susi Pudjiastuti. "It has been amazing," said Ms Susi in a revealing interview out in The Jakarta Post yesterday.

"In some fishing zones in eastern Indonesia and many areas prone to illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing, local fishermen's catches have jumped by more than 200 per cent."

She now plans to roll out a programme to revitalise the fisheries industry that will see the government "give away" almost 3,500 vessels to local fishermen by the end of the year and allocate 1.6 trillion rupiah (S$165 million) to support fish farms in the country.

An additional 1.8 trillion rupiah will also be set aside to improve the quality of fishery products, as well as the marketing and supply chain management in the industry.

"All that aims to improve our fishing sector," said the entrepreneur- turned-politician.

Ms Susi, who according to an independent poll last year is Indonesia's most popular minister, has had to defend her tough policies against illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing, in recent weeks.

Since taking office in 2014, she has ordered the sinking of some 170 vessels caught poaching in Indonesia and impounded 700 others.

She said investigations of IUU fishing cases are now completed within weeks instead of months, thanks to Satgas 115, a unit made up of officials from the Attorney- General's Office, police and navy.

"We no longer have to wait for months of trials," she said.

"In the past three months, we have sunk far more vessels than in the same period last year because of the faster procedures, with the trials handled by the task force...

"If the perpetrators of IUU fishing are not affiliated with any legal entity, we will sink them immediately."

Her ban on allowing fishermen to unload their catch directly to other ships has been unpopular with many large fishery conglomerates.

Both local and foreign fishing boats used to unload their catch without returning to docks or ports for possible audits, but Ms Susi said such practices are "illegal anywhere, because ships won't dock in bays and ports anymore if it continues to be allowed".

"If we allow transshipment, then there's no need to build ports," she said.

"What's the use? The practice will allow foreign vessels to avoid tax and customs clearance."

Without revealing the size of the current Satgas 115 fleet, which patrols the exclusive economic zones (EEZ) of Indonesia, Ms Susi said she plans to add four more patrol boats.

"But that's not enough, there should be around 300 ships patrolling the whole (Indonesian) archipelago."

Ms Susi had made headlines recently for standing up to the actions of a Chinese coast guard vessel that intervened in a poaching incident involving a fishing boat from China in the Natunas last month.

She had also led Indonesia's assertion that it would not relinquish its sovereign rights to its EEZ in the South China Sea last month.

"China believes it to be a historical traditional fishing zone, which we don't recognise," she said.

Despite Cabinet Secretary Pramono Anung stating after a meeting with Chinese officials on Wednesday that Indonesia's latest spat with China was a misunderstanding, Ms Susi says the incident will remain an IUU incident and handled as such.

"There's no way China is defending the practice of IUU fishing, they should have respected us as well," she said.

When asked if she is feeling the heat from foreign governments, she replied: "No pressure at all... I think what we do actually inspires many other countries... now everyone understands that big countries cannot bully small countries anymore.

"That's the point and I don't think my policies disturb any bilateral relationships (because) there's no way IUU fishing is a part of a good bilateral relationship."

http://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/curbs-on-illegal-fishing-deliver-amazing-results