Jakarta, Indonesia Sentinel — Indonesia’s Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries (KKP) has dismantled 21 illegal fish aggregating devices (FADs), known locally as rumpon, suspected to belong to Filipino fishermen operating in Papua waters.
The operation carried out by the Directorate General of Marine and Fisheries Resources Surveillance (PSDKP), and estimated to have prevented state losses of nearly Rp16.8 billion (roughly $1 million).
“Our vessels conducted operations in Papua’s waters and secured 21 illegal rumpon allegedly installed by fishermen from the Philippines,” said PSDKP Director General Pung Nugroho Saksono at a press conference in Jakarta on Wednesday.
“These FADs were never meant to be in our territory. They are intentionally deployed by illegal foreign fishing vessels to harvest fish unlawfully,” he said.
The devices are part of a deliberate strategy to create artificial fishing grounds in Indonesia’s waters, intercepting migratory fish before they can move into deeper areas of the archipelago. According to Saksono, a single illegal rumpon can haul up to 10 tons of fish when retrieved.
The presence of these structures, he added, disrupts fish ecosystems, hinders natural migration routes, affects spawning (nursery) grounds, and forces local fishermen to travel farther offshore in search of viable fishing areas.
“This is what we’re trying to regulate through the operations by PSDKP,” Saksono said, adding that further crackdowns on illegal rumpon installations are underway.
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Previously, the Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries (KKP) also dismantled eight illegal fish aggregating devices (FADs) in Fisheries Management Area 716, located in the Sulawesi Sea near the maritime border with the Philippines.
These stationary, pontoon-style FADs were found close to Indonesian territorial waters and were removed by the Directorate General of Marine and Fisheries Resources Surveillance (PSDKP) due to their lack of identification and government authorization.
FADs, or rumpon as they are known locally, are tools designed to attract fish and are commonly used to boost fishing productivity. However, when installed without proper regulation, they can lead to overfishing, ecological disruption, and violations of national sovereignty.
(Raidi/Agung)
