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Indon vessels destroyed
By ALISON ANIS
THE two Indonesian fishing vessels, which
ferried 26 illegal Indonesian fishermen into Papua New Guinea waters two
months ago were destroyed last Sunday by fisheries officials and the
national surveillance team in Port Moresby.
The two wooden vessels powered by a three-inbuilt engines were set
alight by the officials on Lolorua island after they were towed out by
the NFA inshore craft from the naval base.
Both vessels were seized by fisheries officials and the police on Dec 27
and 29 in Daru, Western province, and Orokolo in the Gulf province
respectively.
They were brought under police escort to Port Moresby where the
fisherman were arrested and charged, found guilty and sentenced to jail.
Officer in charge of the national surveillance co-ordination centre Lt
Augustine Wiakar and NFA enforcement unit team leader Gisa Komangin and
crew beached the vessels on the island and set them alight after
engineers removed the engines from the boats.
“There was nothing left on the boat except its wooden structure which
caught on fire easily,” Lt Wiakar said on Wednesday.
The engines, he said, were currently at the national surveillance base
waiting for further directions from the NFA.
Fisheries enforcement unit team leader, Mr Komangin said NFA would put
the engines on tender.
“It is in the best interest of our people that we have destroyed the two
fishing vessels,” he said.
“We do not want to be seen as receiving profits from the sale of boat
which can be used again for illegal fishing.
“We believe that by taking this step, we are discouraging illegal
fishing in our waters.”
Mr Komagin said the three boats of the same kind remaining in Daru will
also be destroyed.
“We are looking at destroying the boats in Daru along with the fishing
equipment. We cannot confirm when.”
The 26 Indonesian fishermen, who were passengers of the two boats,
appeared in court last month and pleaded guilty to illegally entering
PNG and fishing off its waters without a fishing licence.
They are currently serving their time in jail at Bomana prison.
 
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