Batam, Riau Islands, Nov. 7 -- The Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries (KKP) is increasing the number of patrol vessels to strengthen security in areas vulnerable to illegal fishing.

"We are adding more vessels to effectively combat illegal fishing," said the ministry's Director General of Marine and Fisheries Resources Surveillance, Pung Nugroho Saksono, on Thursday (November 6).

The ministry has received an additional budget of Rp2 trillion (US$116 million) from Commission IV of the Indonesian House of Representatives (DPR RI) to build ten new patrol vessels through a foreign loan from the Spanish government.

Currently, the KKP operates 34 patrol vessels across Indonesia to monitor around 24,000 fishing boats, a figure far from ...