REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, PONTIANAK -- The West Kalimantan high prosecution office on Tuesday handed over 15 vessels of poachers to the marine and fisheries ministry to be destroyed.

The team of prosecutors headed by Willy Ade Chaidir handed over the ships to Ministry's Directorate of Resource Control in the presence of Director General of Marine and Fishery Resources Asep Burhanuddin.

Willy said only 10 of the 15 ships were left to be destroyed, adding three units already sank on technical problem and two were stranded when they were dragged shore.

Asep Burhanudin said the ships were handed over to be destroyed after all relevant procedures and regulations have been properly fulfilled.

He said the marine and fisheries ministry has program to destroy ships confiscated for illegal operations in the country's sea territory.

"The procedure includes official report from the prosecution office," he said.

The marine and fisheries ministry has informed the foreign ministry as most of the vessels belonged to foreign fish poachers mainly from Thailand and Vietnam.

Asep said on the occasion of the 70th anniversary of the country's independence there were 38 such ships to be destroyed all over the country including the 15 units in West Kalimantan.

The ships had been confiscated by the marine and fisheries ministry, police , the navy and the customs officers.

Some of the ships belonged to Indonesian fishermen or companies. They were also to be destroyed as they were found illegally using dangerous materials to catch fishs.

One of the Indonesian ships was found to have used dangerous material for fishing in in Belawan, North Sumatra.

The ships would be exploded in the sea that they would sink by themselves.

The marine and fisheries ministry would cooperate with the navy to sink the vessels off the Lemukutan island in West Kalimantan on Tuesday. 

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