Jakarta (Antara - The Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries (MMAF) successfully repatriated 16 fishermen detained by the Australian Government . The fishermen were caught by the Australian Fisheries Management Authority (AFMA) on October 11, 2013 on charges of conducting the illegal fishing in the Australian territory. "The repatriation of the detained fishermen overseas reaffirms that the MMAF always align ourselves together with the fishermen. If our fishermen get caught overseas, the MMAF therefore will be the first to respond to set them free," conveyed the Director-General of the DIRECTORATE GENERAL OF MARINE AND FISHERIES RESOURCES SURVEILLANCE (MFRS), Syahrin Abdurrahman, in Jakarta, on November 5. The following are the names of the 16 fishermen: Firman, Souleng, Serang, Rusdi, Amirudin, Indra Aditya, Wiranto, Sudirman, Dival, Muhammad Tahir Fajar, Abdul Muin, Amiruddin, Mukrimin, Faizal Anwar, Taharuddin and Tanhar. "As of October 30 to November 3, they were gradually repatriated by Jetstar and Air Asia transferred in Denpasar, Bali and then continued to their home town, Sinjai, South Sulawesi," Mr. Abdurrahman explained. Syahrin continued that the repatriation was successfully conducted thanks to the MMAF's fishermen advocating program initiated by the MFRS and the Consulate of Republic of Indonesia in Darwin. The initiative initially started from 2011 has already been repatriating up to 384 fishermen detained in Malaysia, Australia, Republic of Palau, Papua New Guinea, Timor Leste and India. "The MMAF actively socializes the preventive act by giving the insight to the Indonesian fishermen about the Indonesian fishery management area. But if it turns out that there are fishermen caught overseas, the MMAF collaborated with the Indonesian Ministry of Foreign Affairs therefore will strive to repatriate them," he asserted. Indonesia-Australia Collaboration In addition to carrying out the fishermen advocating program, since 2007, MMAF along with the Australian Government has established the Indonesia-Australia Fisheries Surveillance Forum (IAFSF) to monitor the fishing activity between both countries ' waters. The Forum, which involves the Department of Australia Fishery and Forestry (DAFF) and the Australian Embassy in Jakarta, also undertakes the Public Information Campaign (PIC), the program dedicated to enlighten the Indonesian southern fishermen on the fishery management area of both countries. "We will do what it takes to prevent our fishermen to set sail outside the Indonesian fishery management area," he said. Furthermore, as the number of the local fishermen increases, this partnership is expected to be able to decrease the fishery management area violation done by the Indonesian fishermen. "In accordance with the 2011 Presidential Instruction No.15 on the Fishermen Protection, MMAF is urging the Local Government to actively protect our fishermen by responding quickly to all of the issues faced by the fishermen," he concluded. (*)

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