Jakarta – Thousands of fishermen rallied in Central Jakarta's main streets on Wednesday (06/04), demanding President Joko Widodo dismiss Maritime Minister Susi Pudjiastuti for her strict policies on fishing activities.
The protestors, under the banner National Movement of Indonesian Fisheries Community (Germapi), celebrated national fishermen day by taking to the streets in front of the Maritime Ministry and the State Palace this morning to protest against the minister's policies on fishing activities.
"Minister Susi often closed her ears to listening to small fishermen's complaints, while most of the policies she made directly affected us," said a protester Bambang Wicaksana during the rally, as reported by Jitunews.
Ady Surya of the Fish Consumption Enhancement Forum (Forikan) told Kompas.com that the fishermen rejected the minister's moratorium on the use of formerly foreign owned vessels as it has compounded difficulty to do fishing activities.
They also demanded the ministry revoke ministerial regulations on the prohibition of ship-loading over the sea, the crab and lobster fishing moratorium and prohibition of the use of bottom otter board trawl.
Responding to the rally, Minister Susi said all ministerial regulations and policies are aimed at ensuring an increase in the fishermen's productivities and sustainability of the sea resources.
"We are giving the nature time for recovery and breeding – so we can take it someday. The president's vision is to make the sea to be the future of the nation. So don't exploit it today," Susi said at his office on Tuesday.