INTERNATIONAL SYNERGY CRUCIAL TO COMBAT ILLEGAL FISHING by Fardah

  Jakarta, Sept 17, 2016 (Antara) - Indonesia's future depends on the ocean as two-thirds of its territory is water and at least 140 million of its people, including 2.6 fishermen, rely on marine and coastal ecosystems for their livelihood.

        Being one of the world`s largest maritime countries with about 5.8 million square kilometers of marine territory, Indonesia has abundant fishery potential, and is the world's second largest producer of wild-capture fish, according to the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). 
    However, close to 65 percent of Indonesia's coral reefs are considered under threat from overfishing, while unreported and illegal fishing leads to some US$20 billion worth of lost revenue, World Bank data showed in 2015.

         Life on Earth depends on the ocean.  A healthy ocean is central to human well-being.  The ocean feeds billions of people, employs millions of workers, and generates trillions of dollars to the world economy.

          Internationally, however, between $75billion and $125 billion of global output annually goes waste due to ineffective fish stock management and illegal fishing.

         Given the enormous threat of illegal fishing activities, Indonesian Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Minister Susi Pudjiastuti highlighted the issue in her presentation during 'Our Ocean' conference held in Washington DC, the United States, on September 15 and 16. 
   "Indonesia continues, and incessantly fights illegal fishing," the minister stated.

         Furthermore, Pudjiastuti warned governments across the world of illegal fishing activities that have currently become transnational crimes.

         "Indonesia acknowledges that based on various investigations, many violations and crimes were committed along fishery business chains. And because there are many jurisdictions which are involved, we understand that illegal fishing activities are organized transnational fishery crimes," she said.

         Therefore, Indonesia, which has intensified efforts against illegal fishing activities, is of the view that an international synergy is crucial to combat that crime.

         Her ministry has discovered violations in the fishery sector such as fake documents of fishing boat permits and illegal employment of foreign manpower that tends to violate human rights.

        Illegal fishing perpetrators have committed their crimes across countries and it involved structured organizations, according to her.

        "It should attract our attention that illegal fishing activities are related to organized transnational crimes and their crimes are even beyond the fishery sector," Pudjiastuti said.

        There will be no compromise when it comes to Indonesia's sovereignty with regard to managing natural resources, including fishery resources, the minister also reaffirmed.

        "Success in maintaining sovereignty is a key to the success of fostering national identity and dignity for Indonesia's economic development," Pudjiastuti said. 
   Having full sovereignty, Indonesia with the support of science and technology is able to manage its resources efficiently, effectively and sustainably, she noted.

        When sovereignty and sustainability are achieved, and with the spirit of upholding justice, the nation can improve the welfare of fishermen, the minister added.

        Indonesia's fight against illegal fishing has received widespread support because countries around the world have realized that damage to the Indonesian seas could threaten the world's food stock, according to her.  
   WWF (World Wildlife Fund) presented Pudjiastuti with its prestigious Leaders for a Living Planet Award at an event coinciding with the conference.

        Focusing on sustainable fisheries, marine protected areas, marine pollution and climate-related impacts on the ocean, the  two-day event hosted by U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry, was attended by hundreds of participants including foreign and environment ministers, scientists, and NGO activists from some 90 countries.

        "We have to keep the momentum going so that we can come together and protect our ocean. Why? Because our ocean is absolutely essential for life itself - not just the food, but the oxygen and weather cycles of the planet all depend on the ocean," Secretary of State John Kerry said in his opening address.

       Catherine Novelli, a US diplomat and the current Under Secretary of State for Economic Growth, Energy and the Environment, gave several reasons why the ocean needs special protection.

         "We have to care about this because half the oxygen we breathe comes from the ocean, it regulates our weather, and fish is the primary source of protein for three billion people," she was reported saying by Ecowatch.com. 
    Novelli described how 90 percent of world's fish stocks are being fished at or over capacity, that the ocean's absorption of carbon dioxide has led to increasingly acidic waters that cause the destruction of coral reefs and shellfish, how Earth's warming weather has caused a rise in sea levels and how the staggering rate of plastics running into the oceans might one day outnumber fish. ***1***
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(T.F001/A/BESSR/F. Assegaf) 17-09-2016 16:17:23