Indonesia will host an ASEAN ministerial meeting on illegal fishing by the end of this year as a timely follow up to a session of ASEAN plus Japan in Bangkok last November.
"The meeting here is aimed to discuss openly so that fishing ships from neighboring countries stop stealing our fish," Indonesia's Minister for Maritime and Fisheries, Fadel Muhammad, told media.
The minister is under pressure from political opponents and NGOs to use the armed forces to stop poaching. According to the People Coalition for Fisheries Justice, Indonesia's potential loss due to illegal fishing is about $9.3 billion per year.
"The meeting here is aimed to discuss openly so that fishing ships from neighboring countries stop stealing our fish," Indonesia's Minister for Maritime and Fisheries, Fadel Muhammad, told media.
The minister is under pressure from political opponents and NGOs to use the armed forces to stop poaching. According to the People Coalition for Fisheries Justice, Indonesia's potential loss due to illegal fishing is about $9.3 billion per year.