JAKARTA (JAKARTA POST/ASIA NEWS NETWORK) - In her first year of leadership, Marine Affairs and Fisheries Minister Susi Pudjiastuti has ordered the sinking of 106 foreign boats that were fishing illegally in Indonesian waters.

Ms Susi said on Friday (Oct 30) that the sinking of the illegal boats is proof that the government is serious about eradicating illegal fishing and boosting the country's sea security.

Ms Susi admitted that lack of law enforcement in fisheries was one of Indonesia's problems for investors, adding that she was committed to cracking down on illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing (IUUF).

"IUUF is a global crime, not merely illegal fishing but also slavery, human trafficking, animal smuggling and drugs," she said.

Marine Affairs and Fisheries director-general of Marine and Fisheries Resources Asep Burhanuddin said the ministry would sink six more boats tomorrow.

"The sea and air police along with the Navy have sunk more than a hundred boats in the first year," Mr Asep said in a presentation at the KKP office in Jakarta.

In the presentation that was attended by the minister, Mr Asep said that the minister planned to tighten punishments for illegal fishing.

Mr Asep requested the minister equip the supervisor boat with weapons to protect Indonesian marine resources.

"The important thing is that we save our marine resources," he added.

The Marine Affairs and Fisheries DirectorateGeneral's data shows that the illegal fishing boats that were sunk in the first year of Ms Susi's leadership were from the Philippines (34), Vietnam (33), Thailand (21), Malaysia (6), Papua New Guinea (2) and China (1).