By Ainur Rohmah

JAKARTA

Indonesia sank 30 boats charged with illegally fishing in its waters Monday, bringing to 151 the number of vessels destroyed under the policy.

Maritime and Fisheries Minister Susi Pudjiastuti said the first implementation of the policy this year had been conducted in five different locations, and underlined that the practice aimed at deterring unauthorized vessels from exploiting the country’s resources.

"So this is not my personal view,” the bisnis.com news website quoted her telling a press conference in Jakarta. “We want to say to other nations that Indonesia does not want its sea pillaged.”

Of the 30 boats, 11 were from Vietnam, eight from Malaysia, seven from the Philippines and four from Indonesia.

Pudjiastuti – who also serves as commander of the Task Force on Illegal Fishing – insisted that since the country began implementing the policy as of Oct. 2014, illegal fishing activities in its water had drastically decreased.

"Combating illegal fishing was realistic and should [be conducted]. Thanks to God, the deterrent effect has already been happening," she said.

She underlined the sinking of boats, conducted with low-power bombs that keep the wrecks intact – do not harm the environment and comply with standard operating procedure.

"When detonated, [the boat] is empty, no there’s oil in it. It will be a new house for fish," she added.

As of Oct. 2014, Indonesia has sunk 151 ships – 50 from Vietnam, 43 from the Philippines, 21 from Thailand, 20 from Malaysia, two from Papua New Guinea, one from China and 14 from Indonesia.

Indonesia has declared war on illegal fishing, implementing a policy of sinking ships guilty of the practice, which reportedly costs the country billions in losses each year.