REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA -- Indonesia's Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Minister Susi Pudjiastuti has called on all parties to stop wasting their energy by disputing for issues on vessel seines (cantrang), which is unfriendly to the environmental, adding that controversy on a policy is common.

"President (Joko Widodo) has asked me not to waste my energy by disputing for vessel seines," Susi said, on the sideline of a national meeting on illegal fishing here, on Tuesday.

Susi saw that the protest by a group of fishermen in front of Merdeka Palace earlier on the day was not unusual, because in 2016, they had staged a similar protest against the ban on vessel seines.

Earlier in the day, hundreds of fishermen grouped under the Alliance of Indonesian Fishermen staged a protest in front of the Merdeka Palace to express their concern on some of the ministry's regulations, including the ban on vessel seines.

Coordinator of the protest Rusdianto Samawa stated that the group has supported the government's efforts to improve the country's fishery industry.

But it has found that some regulations have failed to improve the welfare of fishermen, who bear the biggest risk of its implementation, including deteriorating business that could lead to unemployment.

"We hope that local governments would pay attention to this and issue a better regulation to protect fishermen," he noted.

An analyst of fishery sector Abdul Halim revealed that the ministry should discuss the issue with fishermen to find a solution. "Both parties should find a common understanding to cope with the social economic impact of the ministerial regulation no.2/2015."

The regulation has banned the use of trawl and seine nets in the country's waters as it has threatened fishery resource.

According to Abdul Halim, the government should provide financing support and accelerate efforts to replace the current catching tools, without treating fishermen as criminals.

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