The Indonesian Ministry of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries (MMAF) has confirmed the recent seizure of two Malaysian-owned vessels for alleged illegal fishing within Indonesia's territorial waters in the Malacca Strait.
The crew of an Indonesian fisheries patrol boat based at Belawan in North Sumatra province boarded the suspect vessels and found assorted fish species totalling 450 kg as well as trawling gear, which are banned in territorial waters.
Both vessels were lacking in the necessary documents and were crewed by Indonesian nationals who had been working in Malaysia but who may have crossed the border illegally, according to Pung Nugroho, MMAF Director of Marine Resources and Fisheries Monitoring.
One of the crew said that they were enticed by the prospect of high salaries to enter Malaysia and to later engage in illegal fishing in Indonesian territorial waters.
The MMAF has reported the seizure of at least 13 foreign vessels suspected of illegal fishing in territorial waters since January 2025.
The ministry said that some of the suspect vessels were from China, Vietnam, and the Philippines.