Fears over new Indonesian fishing regulations

Indonesia will apply stricter fishing regulations starting on December 1– and said rules could have a negative effect on the Filipino tuna sector, according to the Philippines' Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) and the Department of National Defence (DND).

Jakarta's new fishing measures are prompting a far-reaching information campaign among the local fishing community. More importantly, however, said Meynardo Montealegre, DFA acting assistant secretary, the regulations approved on June 1 should motivate the Philippines to strengthen its preventive programmes through border patrols.

The new Indonesian fishing regulations mandate that:

• Foreign companies seeking to start fishing operations in Indonesia must have integrated fishing operations and establish processing operations there as well.
• Exporting fresh fish from Indonesia is prohibited. The fish must first be processed there and only these processing companies may export the fish.
• Permits may be given to vessels based on the following: 0-10GRT by the regency or city, 10-60GRT by provincial, and above 60GRT by the Ministry of Fisheries
• No foreign investment or foreign labour is allowed for ships weighing 60GRT or less
• To work in fishing in Indonesia, foreigners must apply for work permits through the Indonesian Ministry of Labour
• During the five-year term permit for vessels weighing above 60GRT, the following manning operations should be followed: During the first year, the percentage of foreign fishers should be at a maximum of 50 percent; in the second year, 40 percent; in the third year, 30 percent; in the fourth year, 20 percent; and in the fifth year, 10 percent. By the sixth year, fishing vessels should employ 100 percent Indonesian labour.
• Foreign companies must transfer their technology to the Indonesian employees of the fishing companies in question.

The Philippines and Indonesia's bilateral fishing agreement ended in 2005 and was extended for another year, but has since then not been renewed. Thousands of Filipino fishers have for many years gone to jail and been repatriated from Indonesia for illegal fishing activities. In July 2011 alone, nearly 100 Filipino fishers were imprisoned for illegal fishing and repatriated from Bitung in Indonesia.

FIS