Indonesia to sink dozens of foreign illegal fishing vessels

Indonesia will mark its Independence Day later this month by sinking as many as 71 foreign vessels that were seized for fishing illegally in the country’s waters. Maritime and Fisheries Minister Susi Pudjiastuti said Monday that boats from the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia and China will be sunk simultaneously at several locations on the August 17 national holiday. Many of the boats were captured off Indonesia’s Natuna Islands in the southern reaches of the South China Sea. Indonesia, the world’s largest archipelago nation, has taken a hard-line stance against illegal fishing since President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo took office in 2014. Pudjiastuti has overseen the destruction of more than 170 illegal fishing boats from several countries.