Indonesia destroys 81 foreign ships for illegal fishing

Malaysian and Vietnamese fishing boats are destroyed for illegal fishing by the Ministry of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries, police and navy, in Batam, Riau Islands, Indonesia, on April 5, 2016. (Reuters/M N Kanwa /Antara Foto via Reuters)

JAKARTA - Indonesian authorities destroyed 81 foreign ships over the weekend after seizing the vessels for fishing illegally in the country's waters.

The world's largest archipelago nation has taken a tough stance against illegal fishing since President Joko ''Jokowi'' Widodo took office in 2014. Authorities have sunk 317 foreign vessels since then, including the most recent.

The ships were blown up at sea in 12 locations around the archipelago on Saturday. The most destroyed in one area was 26 in Natuna on the edge of the South China Sea and 10 in the nearby seaport of Tarempa.

Most of the vessels were from Vietnam, the Philippines, Malaysia and Thailand.

Indonesia was upholding its sovereignty and combating illegal fishing, said Susi Pudjiastuti, the minister of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries who witnessed the sinking of two ships in the port of Ambon in Maluku province.

''We hope Sino (the name of one of the ships) is the symbol of our victory against poaching after years of defeat, especially in eastern Indonesia,'' Mrs Pudjiastuti said. She expressed hope that the action would deter poachers.

Mrs Pudjiastuti declared a fishing moratorium for foreign vessels immediately after taking office. ''The state's sovereignty has to be upheld.''