Govt. extends import on shrimp species

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta | Fri, 12/31/2010

The government has extended the ban on the import of shrimp from the species of penaeus vanamae due to reports that the shrimp carries thirteen viruses dangerous for human health as well as that of other shrimps.

According to Saut P. Hutagalung, the director of foreign marketing at the Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Ministry, the ban, which took into effect on Dec.23, will last indefinitely until the virus can be contained.

“The import [of the shrimp] will be banned for at least the first semester of 2011,” he said, as reported by kontan.co.id.

He added that the ban was based on the scientific findings of the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) which pointed out that the shrimp carried 13 viruses harmful for the health of humans and other shrimp species.

However, Fisheries Processing and Marketing Entrepreneurs Association chairman Thomas Darmawan said that the government should just limit and tighten vaname shrimp imports instead of implementing a full ban since the virus did not attack all countries.

“We can import from virus-free countries,” he added.

HK cargo ship stranded in Batu Atas coast

Antara News, Friday, December 31, 2010

Baubau, Southeast Sulawesi (ANTARA News) - A Hong Kong cargo ship, Janwan, ran aground in Batu Atas waters, Buton district, Southeast Sulawesi after hitting coral reef, Robertus Maturbongs, the Head of Baubau Seaport, said here Friday.

Robertus said the ship stranded because of high waves in the last couple weeks, and rescue efforts were hampered by huge waves.

"Singapore rescue team, Baubau seaport personnel, local Search and Rescue team (SAR), the police and naval personnel have evacuated 23 people from the ill-fated ship," he said here Friday.

He said, Friday, the ship was not leaking, however further check would be conducted to find out whether it could continue its trip or not.

The sterm of the 189 meters long and 3000 tons ship was raised some meters, he added.

"The ship ran aground at around 8 pm, while sailing from Tanjung Buli Halmahera to Balikpapan, East Kalimantan," he said.

Technical errors and faulty navigation as well as human error may have been the causes of the accident, and the rough weather made it difficult for the rescue team to move the ship to safety, Robertus said.

"The ship will be towed by several other vessels from Singapore," he said.

Indonesian student discover four new fish species

Antara News, Thursday, December 30, 2010

Jakarta (ANTARA News) - An Indonesian biolgy student at George Washington University in the US has discovered four new fresh water fish species in Southwest Sumatra rivers.

Daniel Natanael Lumbantobing who is studying for a doctoral degree in biology at George Washington University said the four new species belonged to the Cyprinidae family.

In an e-mail to ANTARA here Thursday, he said he had named his four discoveries Rasbora api, Rasbora nodulosa, Rasbora kluetensis, and Rasbora truncata.

All of them were part of the Rasbora trifasciata species, he said.

One of the new found species was named Rasbora api because the dorsal fins and caudal fins or tails were orange-tinged resembling the color of a flame (api), Daniel said.

Rasbora api was distinguished from other species in the R. trifasciata-group by an anteriorly tapering black midlateral stripe extending posteriorly along the flank from the first lateral-line scale system and stout conical cephalic tubercles, whereas Rasbora nodulosa had nodular and smaller cephalic tubercles, Daniel said.

Meanwhile, Rasbora kluetensis was distinguished from its congeners in the species group by the conical cephalic tubercles with a somewhat protruding base bearing microridges.

The fourth new species, Rasbora truncata, differed from its congeners in the species group by a combination of meristic, pigmentary, and tuberculation features, and details of the lateral line system, he said.

The discpvery of the four new fresh water species was published in the December 2010 issue of Copeia, a journal of science issued by The American Society of Ichthyologists and Herpetologists.

Daniel described the four new species during an inventory collection of fresh water fish in North Sumatra and Southwestern coast of Aceh in July-August 2006.

"We moslty used `seine` and `gill` nets to catch the fish. The captured fish had been preserved to be kept as museum items," he said.

There were some other members of Rasbora genus in Indonesia such as Saluang in Kalimantan, Paray in Sunda, Wader in Java, badar in Minang, Relo in Gayo, and Burinsak in Tapanuli, he said.

There were around 50 species identified and there might be numerous other species that were still unidentified, he said.

"Therefore, there is a possibility other species in the Rasbora category will be discovered in the future," Daniel said.

American Cruise Ship to Dock in Makassar

Tempo Interactive, Tuesday, 28 December, 2010

TEMPO Interactive, Makassar: Approaching the end of 2010, Makassar will receive hundreds of foreign tourists once again. The Sea Born Spirit cruise ship from the US will dock at the Soekarno-Hatta Harbor today.

The Sea Born Spirit cruise ship

“About 193 foreign tourist will visit Makassar. This is a good opportunity to promote the area,” said Managing Director of Destination Asia, Sediya Yasa, after meeting Senior Adjunct Commisioner Sri Rejeki Budianti, chief of the Soekarno-Hatta Harbor police, yesterday.

Unfortunately, Sea Born Spirit will only stay for about five hours in Makassar. Other places she will visit are traditional harbor sPaotere and Fort Rotterdam

Sediya said that the cruise ship will be bringing tourists from Europe, Australia, US and the UK. In addition to Makassar, the ship will visit several areas in Indonesia.

In addition to cruise ship, several foreign tourists are seen attending Lovely December celebration in Makale, Tana Toraja Regency, South Sulawesi. The cultural parade was filled with dances and music from 16 regencies in Tana Toraja.

Unfortunately, the celebration, which has been held for the third time, has failed to attract many tourists. There were only about a 1,000 people. Meanwhile, a similar event held last year, attracted about 8000 people. “The government should promote Lovely December continuously,” said Bertus, a Makalele resident, yesterday.

ABDUL RAHMAN | SUKMAWATI

Suspicious acts before 7.3 Christmas quake terrorizes Vanuatu people

examiner.com, December 25th, 2010 3:19 pm ET

Only several weeks before the 7.3 earthquake hit the South Pacific Island, Vanuatu on Christmas Day, terrorizing locals, all of its seismic monitoring equipment had been stolen, leaving no way to monitor earthquakes in the vicinity of the Port Vila city, no means to warn of tsunami triggers, and less means to determine if the U.S. military is to blame due to testing environmental warfare technology.

Vanuatu earthquake: The earthquake location map on
Dec. 25 at 13:16 UTC time, or 8:15am EST. (USGS.gov)

The criminal act of stealing the equipment is suspicious in lieu of military Weapons of Mass Destruction that can trigger or cause what appears to be "natural disasters" for geopolitical gain. (See: What are environment modification techniques and environmental warfare? Human Rights info 101, Dupré, D., Examiner, Dec. 6, 2009 and Global warming and intellectual climate change crisis: Myths, military and WMDs, Examiner, Dec. 14, 2009)

The Christmas 7.3 magnitude quake hit the Least Developing Country, Vanuatu just after midnight on December 25. It struck about 140 miles (225 kilometers) south of Vanuatu's capital, Port Vila and near Tana Island according to Associated Press. The quake was unusually shallow, only 15 miles below the ocean floor.

On November 9, over vt 1 million dollars worth of earthquake prediction and monitoring equipment was stolen from Vanuatu's Meteorological and Geohazards Department station at Devils Point on Efaté Island according to the nation's newspaper, the Vanuatu Daily Post in its article, Over Vt1 million worth earthquake equipment stolen again.

The criminal act is reported as professionally executed, unlike most reported crimes in the Third World nation where developed nation weapons such as guns are highly atypical. Among the world's hungry, Ni-Vanuatu people live on less than a dollar a day and use spears and hand-made weapons for food gathering. "Professional" criminal acts are also atypical.

The Vanuatu Daily Post reported that Acting Director, Ms Patricia Mawa said the equipment was stolen around 8:30 a.m. by "thieves that seemed to be familiar with the seismic monitoring devices and telemetry system." The apparent insiders "cut the fence wire, and carefully dismantled the instruments."

"These vital equipment included: one Solar Panel – 80 Watts (as sold by Pacific Power at Fresh Water); a VLF – (Very Low Frequency) Receiving/ Transmitting System, and the cables."

“Without these stations, the people of Vanuatu will no longer be able to get accurate information and timely warnings during events of earthquakes and tsunamis."

On October 1, vital equipment was stolen at one of the other two stations in the Efate Seismic Network, the station at Klem’s Hill, according to the Acting Director.

The center stated, "There is apparently no tsunami threat to Hawaii, but 'some coastal areas in Hawaii could experience small non-destructive sea level changes and strong or unusual currents lasting up to several hours" and "sea level changes are expected around 10:51am HST."

God or ENMOD?

Many people attribute the surge in earthquakes and other "natural disasters" to God's work. Others recognize that these disasters can be attributed to military technology applied in a war against the world.

The term, "Environmental modification techniques" refers to any technique for changing - through the deliberate manipulation of natural processes - the dynamics, composition or structure of the Earth, including its biota, lithosphere, hydrosphere and atmosphere, or of outer space. (Convention on the Prohibition of Military or Any Other Hostile Use of Environmental Modification Techniques, United Nations, Geneva: 18 May 1977)

"Environmental warfare" is defined as the intentional modification or manipulation of the natural ecology, such as climate and weather, earth systems such as the ionosphere, magnetosphere, tectonic plate system, and/or the triggering of seismic events (earthquakes) to cause intentional physical, economic, and psycho-social, and physical destruction to an intended target geophysical or population location, as part of strategic or tactical war." (Eco News)

Michel Chossudovsky has reported about military manipulations of the environment in his article, Excluded from the Copenhagen Agenda: Environmental Modification Techniques (ENMOD) and Climate Change - The manipulation of climate for military use:

"The possibility of climatic or environmental manipulations as part of a military agenda, while formally acknowledged by official government documents and the US military, has never been considered relevant to the Climate debate. Military analysts are mute on the subject. Meteorologists are not investigating the matter, and environmentalists are strung on global warming and the Kyoto protocol." (Chossudovsky, M., Environmental Modification Techniques (ENMOD) and Climate Change, Global Research, December 5, 2009; Also see D. Dupre, A gory truth about climate change mind control, Examiner, December 6, 2009)

Wayne Hall reports on Rense.com, that "there remains the task of breaching the secrecy that surrounds the subject. Given that the ecological organizations are clearly not going to do this, we must initiate discussions with them to decide who should be assigned the task. Who is going to bell the cat?" (Hall, W. Chemtrail Secrets: Strategies Against Climate Change?, Rense.com, January 2004)

Vanuatu's stretch of small islands is north of Fiji, south of the Solomon Islands and about 1,200 miles from the coastal Australian city of Brisbane. It is in the archipelago called the “Pacific Ring of Fire” where a large amount of volcanic and seismic activity occur, perfect military testing ground for new weapons of mass destruction.

Related Articles:

Over Vt1 million worth earthquake equipment stolen again

The Earth as a weapon in 21st Century of Wars

Maritime casualty reports increase to 128 cases in 2010

Nani Afrida, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta | Tue, 12/28/2010

The National Commission of Transportation Safety (KNKT) revealed Tuesday that the number of maritime casualty reports had increased to 128 cases in 2010 from 124 cases in 2009.

“Although the number of cases rose, the [human losses] decreased to 185 people from 247 victims in 2009,” KNKT chairman Tatang Kurniadi said in Jakarta.

The KNKT also noted 50 percent of the casualties involved motorboats, cargo carriers and container ships, while the casualties involving tug boats accounted for only 21 percent.

“In the Java Sea there were 48 incidents, as it is the busiest waterway in the country,” he said.

Tatang added that from the total cases, KNKT only investigated five severe incidents.

Navy arrests boat selling illegal diesel oil

Antara News, Tuesday, December 28, 2010

Tanjungpinang, Riau Islands (ANTARA News) - Tanjungpinang navy patrol in Riau Islands intercepted and arrested an illegal diesel oil boat and its crew of four when selling its cargo in Anak Lobam waters, Bintan regency.

"We also seized the boat and 40 tons of illegal diesel oil which was about to be sold at sea," commander of Tanjungpinang naval patrol Major Hariyo Poernomo said here on Monday.

Hariyo said the nameless vessel with four crewmen, namely Rusli, Nur Khatib, Lahode and M Nur, was arrested by the navy patrol boat in Anak Lobam waters on Tuesday (Dec 21) at 2 am when sailing from Buluh Island in Batam.

"They were about to sell the illegal diesel oil to tug boats passing the area," Hariyo said.

It appeared that the diesel came from boats selling the illegal oil and received by Alimin who told the four suspects to resell it.

Hariyo said a thorough investigation showed that the diesel oil as well as the boat did not have any papers.

"They have violated the law on navigation and the law on oil and gas," he added.

He added that the sale of illegal diesel oil at sea had frequently happened and the capacity of the boat is normally 100 tons.

The skipper of the boat carrying the illegal diesel oil, M Nur (58), said Alimin simply told them to bring the oil to the Tekulai waters from Buluh Batam island.

"We have no idea where the oil came from and we were told to only take the boat to Tekulai before to other boats came," he said. Nur said Alimin paid him for bringing the boat with 40 tons of diesel oil on board, but refused to say how much exactly was the payment.

The boat with the four frewmen is now held at the naval patrol basis in Tanjung Unggat, Tanjungpinang.

Three Chinese Naval ships making goodwill visit

Antara News, Monday, December 27, 2010

Jakarta (ANTARA News) - Three Chinese Navy ships arrived at Indonesia`s Tanjung Priok port on Monday n a goodwill mission during which their crews would execute several programs designed to improve bilateral relations between the two countries.

The flotilla`s commander, Major General Wei Xueyi, said in his remarks on arrival that the visit was intended to enhance relations between the two navies and the two countries in general.

The Chinese ships were welcomed by Chinese Ambassador to Indonesia Zhang Qiyue and Brigadier General Arif Suherman, commander of Indonesia`s third navy base (Lantamal III) and members of the Chinese community in Indonesia.

"During our visit, our crews will also take the opportunity to go sightseeing in the Indonesian capital, meet local people, and sample local life. We are very pleased to have this chance of visiting Indonesia," Major General Wei Xueyi said

Chinese Ambassador Zhang Qiyue said the Chinese warships` visit was part of activities to mark 60 years of Indonesia-China diplomatic relations and friendship this year. The visit was also expected to improve the relationship between the navies of the two countries.

During their five-day stay in Indonesia, the Chinese crews are to conduct a series of activities, including visiting Indonesian naval ships , and compete with Indonesian naval personnel in several sports events.

"I hope the visit will improve our communication and understanding with the Indonesian navy as well as the Indonesian people. We also hope the friendship between Indonesia and China will develop further in the future ," he said.

The Chinese flotilla consists of an amphibious landing ship, the Kunlunshan, a destroyer, the Lanzhou, and a supply ship, the Weishanshu and carrying a combined crew of 1,000 men.

It had just completed patrol duties in the Gulf of Aden and in Somali waters to combat sea piracy rampant in those areas.

The flotilla is the sixth China had deployed in the Gulf of Aden and in Somali waters.

The previous five Chinese flotillas in the Gulf of Aden had escorted 2,248 Chinese and foreign ships in 213 batches in this region, which have been plagued by pirate attacks, since December 2008.

The sixth flotilla had escorted 615 ships, including five from Indonesia, during its service period, expelling 190 suspicious boats, saving one ship hijacked by Somali pirates and three others being chased by pirates.

4th Singaporean found dead in Malaysia boat mishap

The Jakarta Post, The Associated Press | Mon, 12/27/2010

Searchers recovered the body of a fourth Singaporean tourist and were searching for one more missing in Malaysian waters after an overloaded passenger boat capsized near a resort island, police said Monday.

The wooden boat had been transporting 29 people - more than twice its recommended capacity - to a mainland port Sunday after leaving Malaysia's southern Sibu island, one of the diving zones closest to neighboring Singapore.

It capsized after being struck by strong waves, district police chief Mohamad Nor Rashid said. The passengers were not wearing life jackets.

"One minute we were enjoying the holiday and the next wewere struggling for our lives when the boat capsized," Lim Tai Wee, one of nearly 20 Singaporeans aboard, told The Star newspaper. "It was very windy and the waves were hitting the boat hard."

By midday Monday, rescuers had recovered the bodies of three Singaporean men and a woman, and were looking for more missing, Mohamad Nor said. He added that police had detained the boat's Malaysian skipper for questioning.

Age of sail boats inspires green solutions

CNN, By George Webster for CNN, December 26, 2010

Before fossil fuel-powered vessels came to dominate the seas, international
trade was conducted on vast tall ships. Are they set for a comeback?

STORY HIGHLIGHTS

• B9 energy plans to build first fleet of carbon-neutral "sail ships" for transporting cargo
• Project represents a return to traditional maritime trading methods.
• Comes as a handful of companies turn to sail boats to reduce emissions
• Shipping industry skeptical about economic viability for use on long-haul journeys

London (CNN) -- With its long hull, towering masts and expansive sails, it resembles a schooner from the 19th century. But fitted with a series of high-tech features, this so-called "sail ship" is designed to cut carbon emissions on the high seas today.

Part of a fleet of carbon-neutral, wind-powered sail ships planned by Britain's B9 Energy, it's just one example of how companies are looking to the past for greener alternatives to the gas-guzzling vessels that transport the world's cargo.

When it comes to wind power replacing fuel in shipping vessels, "it's not a question of if, but when," according to David Surplus, the chairman of B9 Energy, Britain's largest windfarm operator.

"By most people's estimates, we have reached peak oil -- sooner or later the fuel will run out and there will simply be no alternative," said Surplus.

Roughly 87% of international trade is carried out by the shipping industry, figures from the International Maritime Organization show.

With the majority of world trade traveling by sea, the shipping industry is responsible for around 4% of global carbon emissions, according to the latest figures available from the United Nations.

B9 expects its 100% carbon-neutral trading ship to be
in production by 2012.

B9 claims its vessel will be the first commercially produced merchant ship to harness alternative energy, but it certainly isn't alone in using old-fashioned sail boats to move goods.

"At the moment it's happening on a fairly small, fairly local scale," said Jan Lundberg, founder of Sail Transport Network, a group that promotes sailing as a means of eco-friendly, cost-efficient trade.

But the trend is growing, he said, pointing to examples like El Lago Coffee Company, which uses traditional sail boats to ship Guatemalan coffee beans to the United States, and the Sail Transport Company, a Seattle-based group that uses sailboats to deliver "petroleum-free organic produce."

B9's new eco-friendly ships, planned to be in production by 2012, signify a return to a much more traditional form of merchant shipping. Before diesel-powered steel tankers came to dominate the seas, international trade was conducted on vast, wooden sail ships.

The 100% carbon-neutral freighter will feature automated, self-adjusting sails that respond to minute changes in the wind to maximize propulsion. The boat will also take advantage of "skysail" technology -- a kite-styled towing system currently used on some cargo ships to improve fuel efficiency.

RELATED TOPICS

• Sailing
• Trade
• International Maritime Organization
• Nature and the Environment
• Emissions Offsets and Trading

In addition, a biofuel-powered engine will operate under less windy conditions.

Surplus says that with these technologies, the B9 sail ship will be able to carry up to 9,000 tons of cargo.

That's just a fraction of the more than 100,000 tons that much larger ships used for long-haul trade can carry, he admitted.

But B9 will initially just operate within Europe, particularly in the North Sea and Baltic where the winds are strong.

Surplus added: "There are currently about 1,500 similarly sized fossil fuel-powered ships working along these routes and our dream is to replace all of them."

Whether sail ships can replace modern freighters on a large scale, however, remains to be seen. Jeremy Harrison, communications director at the British-based Chamber of Shipping, has his doubts.

"I would love to see sail boats replace the current system," he said. "But I just can't see how it will be economical, even as fuel prices rise."

According to Harrison, advances in fuel efficiency onboard super-large cargo ships will help offset the rising cost of fossil fuels.

"Big shipping companies have already made huge savings just by 'slow steaming' -- reducing their speeds to save on fuel consumption," he said.

Earlier this year Maersk, the world's largest container shipping firm with more than 600 ships, announced that it had adapted its giant marine diesel engines to travel at super-slow speeds -- reducing emissions by 30% and saving a reported $100 million in the process.

"Unless you can build a sail-powered boat as big as the ships that are out there today, it will be very difficult to achieve the economies of scale to make it competitive," Harrison said.

Surplus, however, is undeterred.

He said: "A lot of people don't understand what renewable energy has achieved onshore. If you simply transfer those economic models across to shipping, it completely transforms the economic proposition."

(Photo: RNW )

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DKP allocates Rp2.7 billion for Sail Wakatobi-Belitung

Antara News, Friday, December 24, 2010

Wanci, Southeast Sulawesi (ANTARA News) - Southeast Sulawesi Marine and Fisheries Agency (DKP) will allocate Rp2.7 billion from regional budget (APBD) to support Sail Wakatobi-Belitung 2011.

"For Sail Wakatobi-Belitung event, we have proposed Rp4.7 billion fund but the Provincial Legislative Agency (DPRD) only agreed Rp2.7 billion," local DPK spokesman Abdul Salam said in Wakatobi on Friday.

According to him the Rp2.7 billion fund would be spent on accommodation and fuel oil for a number of Navy ships which would be mobilized to ensure security at Southeast Sulawesi waters.

"A lot of Navy ships will be mobilized to ensure the security on the peak event of Sail Wakatobi-Belitung from August 2, 2011 to September 2, 2011 in Wakatobi," Abdul Salam said.

He said the during the international marine event, the need of fuel oil for the Navy ships including accommodation for the personnel would be borne by the host of the sail, namely Southeast Sulawesi and Bangka-Belitung provinces.

"We hope a number of districts and cities which have been appointed to be the venue of the sail will fully support the event and make it a success," Abdul Salam said.

Police caught Indonesian-Flagged Vietnamese fishing boats

Antara News, Wednesday, December 22, 2010

Pontianak, West Kalimantan (ANTARA News) - National marine police have caught eight Indonesian-flagged Vietnamese boats while illegally fishing in the exclusive economic zone in Natuna.

The boats were caught during police operations from December 9 to 16, the director of intelligence and crimes of the West Kalimantan Regional Police Command, Senior Commissioner Bambang Priambada, said here on Wednesday.

The boats had raised Indonesian flags and names to cover up so that Indonesian police would think they are local boats, he said.

All the skippers and crew of the boats are Vietnamese, he said. "We have so far named eight suspects namely their skippers while 101 crew members of the boats are still under detention waiting for their deportation," he said.

The eight boats along with their catch reaching 27 tons of fish are now being entrusted to the West Kalimantan regional police command pending their legal process.

"According to the temporary results of investigation they have conducted fish poaching around a month. But we are predicting they had operated for more than a year. They sold their catch to a collector ship in the high seas," he said.

He said after investigation the legal process of the eight skippers would be referred to the Pontianak Fishery and Marine Resource Supervision for a further process and later a court trial.

One of skippers, Pong Hai, said he and his fellows braved fishing illegally in the Indonesian waters because no fish had now been found in their country`s waters.

"Fish in the Indonesian waters is still abundant and therefore we are poaching here," he said.

He said he spent US$10 to an Indonesian citizen to change the name of his boat with a name in the Indonesian language.

West Kalimantan waters are included in Zone III along with Natuna, Karimata and South China Sea with fish potentials reaching one million ton a year.

The West Kalimantan waters strecthes up to 26,000 kilometers up to South China Sea covering 2,004,000 hectares of public waters, 26,700 hectares of pond culture waters ad 15,500 hectares of sea.

The fish species found in the waters include tuna, mackerel and squid.

Baubau seaweed production reaches 2,563.7 tons

Antara News, Wednesday, December 22, 2010

Baubau, S.E.Sulawesi (ANTARA News) - The seaweed production of Baubau city in South East Sulawesi reached 2,563.7 tons during the planting season in 2010, head of aquaculture of Baubau city`s marine and fishery office, Ahman, said here Wednesday.

Baubau city`s seaweed production in 2010 increased from last year`s 2,261.2 tons, he added.

"Of this volume, the highest production is reached in Lea-lea sub district and the second largest in Kokalukuna sub district," Ahman said.

He added, the seaweed potential areas in Baubau covered 660 hectares in five districts, namely Murhum, Betoambari, Kokalukuna, Bungi and Lea-lea.

"Of the big potential of seaweed farming areas, approximately 111.6 hectares have come to advantage," Ahman noted.

He said in 2009 however seaweed production dropped due to bad weather conditions in Baubau, causing ce-ice disease and a loss.

"This year, on the contrary, despite rainfalls throughout the year, seaweed production increased," Ahman said.

He added that after harvest, the seaweed farmers sold their commodity to collectors in Baubau, who sold it to Surabaya in East Java for processing.

Customs seizes illegal explosives from Malaysia

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta | Tue, 12/21/2010

The Directorate General of Customs and Excise confiscated 50 tons of ammonium nitrate, a raw material used to produce explosives, from a boat sailing from Malaysia.

Directorate General of Customs and Excise spokesperson Evi Suhartantyo said they stopped the ship flying an Indonesia flag, the KM Salbiana Jaya, in the South China Sea on Tuesday.

The ship, which had a crew of 14, was loaded with 2,000 sacks or 50 tons of explosive ammonium nitrate, and was traveling from Malaysia to Sulawesi.

“The ship has been towed to the Tanjung Balai Karimun office for further investigation. This is a loss for our defense sector as well as for our environment” Evi said, adding that the smuggling attempt would cost the state Rp 2 billion (US$222,000).

Senate passes shark protection bill

By Juliet Eilperin, Washington Post Staff Writer,Monday, December 20, 2010

The Senate passed a landmark shark conservation bill Monday that would close loopholes that had allowed the lucrative shark fin trade to continue operations off the West Coast.

The measure would require any vessel to land sharks with their fins attached prevent non-fishing vessels from transporting fins without their carcasses. The practice of cutting off a shark's fins and dumping its body overboard, which is now banned off the Atlantic Coast and the Gulf of Mexico but not the Pacific, has expanded worldwide due to rising demand for shark's fin soup in Asia.

"Shark finning has fueled massive population declines and irreversible disruption of our oceans," said Sen. John Kerry (D-Mass), the bill's author, in a statement. "Finally we've come through with a tough approach to tackle this serious threat to our marine life."

To become a law this year, the bill would still need to be passed by the House, which could act as soon as Tuesday. The lower chamber has already passed similar legislation written by Del. Madeline Bordallo (D-Guam), and backers said they hoped the House would act in the scant time it has left.

"It's a real nail biter," said Michael Hirshfield, chief scientist for the advocacy group Oceana.

While Congress passed legislation aimed at protecting sharks a decade ago, shark finning has continued because the fins fetch a far higher price than the meat. According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Fisheries Service 1.2 million pounds of sharks were caught last year in the Pacific, though it does not detail what portion of those landings were fins.

The bill would also allow federal authorities to identify and list which fishing vessels hail from nations that do not have the same shark conservation rules as the U.S.

While the legislation enjoys bipartisan support, Sen. Tom Coburn (R-Okla) blocked it on Sept. 29 on the grounds that implementing it would cost taxpayers money. The bill sponsors offset the measure's five-year, $5 million cost by cutting that amount from a federal fisheries grant program over the next two years.

"The bill was snatched from the jaws of defeat," said Matt Rand, who directs global shark conservation at the Pew Environment Group, adding it would help federal officials when they negotiate for stricter global catch limits on sharks. "It gives the U.S. a further leadership role and mandate to push for shark conservation from other countries."

The Obama administration has pushed for cuts in global shark fishing quotas, with mixed results: in November international authorities banned the catch of oceanic whitetip and several types of hammerhead sharks in the Atlantic Ocean, but international negotiators declined to impose trade restrictions on several shark species this spring.

Nancy Perry, vice president for government affairs at the U.S. Human Society, said the measure would both spare individual sharks "the unspeakable cruelty" of finning and could help broader shark populations recover off America's coasts.

China fishing boat capsizes in scuffle

The Jakarta Post, The Associated Press, Seoul | Sat, 12/18/2010

Sinking boat: A Chinese fishing boat is seen capsized in western South Korean waters off Gunsan, South Korea, Saturday. The fishing boat capsized in a maritime scuffle with a South Korean coast guard ship trying to curb its illegal fishing activities Saturday, killing one fisherman and leaving two others missing, a South Korean official said.

A Chinese fishing boat capsized in a maritime scuffle with a South Korean coast guard ship trying to curb its illegal fishing activities Saturday, killing one fisherman and leaving two others missing, a South Korean official said.

About 50 Chinese fishing boats were illegally fishing in western South Korean waters off Gunsan city, about 170 miles (270 kilometers) south of Seoul, when the South Korean ship approached them, coast guard spokesman Ji Kwan-tae said. One of the boats intentionally hit the larger coast guard ship to allow fellow Chinese vessels to sail back to their waters, and then capsized, he said.

Eight people from the capsized boat were plucked from the waters, but one was unconscious and later died, Ji said. Coast guard rescue boats and helicopters were dispatched to the area to locate the two missing Chinese sailors, he said.

Ji said coast guard officers fought with fishermen on other Chinese boats who wielded steel pipes, and four of the officers suffered non-life-threatening injuries.

A man answering the phone at the China Maritime Search and Rescue Center in Beijing confirmed that a Chinese fishing boat capsized Saturday in the Yellow Sea and two Chinese fishermen were missing. China has dispatched a rescue boat and has asked South Korea to send boats as well, he said.

When asked about South Korea's claim that the Chinese boat was fishing illegally, the man said other information about the incident was still being collected. He did not give his name, as is common with Chinese officials.

Calls to the Chinese Embassy in Seoul went unanswered.

More than 300 Chinese fishing boats are captured for fishing illegally in South Korean waters every year, according to South Korea's coast guard. In 2008, one South Korean coast guard officer was killed and six others injured in a maritime scuffle with Chinese fishermen engaged in unauthorized fishing in South Korean waters.

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TNI asks Netherlands to support frigate building project

Antara News, Wednesday, December 15, 2010

Jakarta (ANTARA News) - The National Defense Forces (TNI) has asked the Dutch government to consistently support the development of a light frigate by Indonesian ship-building company PT PAL.

"Yes, we have asked the Dutch to be more consistent in supervising the development of the ship as there are things that PT PAL cannot yet do," TNI spokesman Commodore Iskandar Sitompul said here on Tuesday.

PT PAL is developing a light frigate-type missile destroyer under supervision of Dutch ship-building company Schelde.

Asked about the program after he had attended a closed-door meeting between TNI Commander Admiral Agus Suhartono and Dutch ambassador Tjeerd F De Zwaan, Sitompul said Dutch consistency in helping carry out the program was needed.

"This is done in the framework of revitalizing national defense industry especially PT PAL to meet the needs of TNI weaponry including a light frigate," he said.

The Indonesian navy is striving to improve its combat power in the framework of meeting its minimum strength requirements by modernizing its weaponry. Right now it has 154 warships of various types and the number is to be increased to 274.

With regard to that the defense ministry has launched a light fregat destroyer development program in cooperation with the Netherlands. The ministry expects to build 20 units.

The program is estimated to cost US$220 million and take four years to finish.

Besides discussing the frigate development program they had also discussed various matters relating to the two countries` bilateral relations including the relations between the two countries` armies, he said.

RI, US exploring maritime cooperation

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta | Tue, 12/14/2010

Indonesia and the United States are exploring the possibility of enhancing their partnership in the maritime sector, a follow-up to the “comprehensive partnership” the two countries signed during US President Barack Obama’s visit to Jakarta early last month.

The Indonesian Maritime Institute (IMI) said in a press statement on Tuesday that Indonesian and US delegations had met Monday to discuss a number of potential cooperations in the maritime sector.

The meeting discussed, among others, cooperation opportunities in maritime education, the implementation of “ecological zones” on sailing routes, and the development of Indonesia as one of the most strategic maritime areas in the Asia-Pacific region.

IMI chief patron Connie Rahakundini Bakrie specifically asked the US to make Indonesia a more prominent partner in maritime trade, industry and defense, as quoted by Antara

PTTEP acknowledges oil spill in Timor Sea: Minister

Nani Afrida, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta | Tue, 12/14/2010

Thailand-based oil and gas producer PTTEP Australasia has finally acknowledged responsibility for an oil spill in the Timor Sea that occurred in 2009, an Indonesian minister said.

“We held a meeting with them and they have confessed. Actually, we need the confession,” Transportation Minister Freddy Numberi said in Jakarta on Tuesday.

The company would hold another meeting with the Indonesian government to discuss data on sea contamination, Freddy said.

“We still demand Rp 23 trillion (US$2.56 billion) in compensation from the company to repair the damages,” Freddy said.

PTTEP Australasia’s oil platform in the Montara field off Australia’s northern coast exploded and spilled more than 500,000 liters of crude oil per day into the Timor Sea in August 2009.

Thirty-eight percent of Indonesia’s marine territory in the Timor Sea were reportedly affected by the spill. Local fishermen’s catches reportedly dropped and thousands of tons of shallow water fish died, while marine mammals, including whales, also fell victim.

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Indonesian Fishermen Among Missing in Trawler Accident off Antarctica

Jakarta Globe, December 13, 2010

Four fishermen were dead and 18 missing after a South Korean deep-sea trawler with 42 crew members on board sank Monday off Antarctica, Maritime New Zealand said.

The South Korean deep-sea fishing vessel "No 1 Insung"
in better times. The fishing boat sank on Monday in freezing
waters near Antarctica, New Zealand and South Korean
authorities said. Twenty members of the crew have been
rescued by a ship. (Reuters Photo)

"The vessel is believed to have gone down at 6:30 am (1730 Sunday GMT) about 1,000 nautical miles north of McMurdo (Antarctic base)," Maritime NZ spokesman Ross Henderson told AFP. "We have 20 alive, four deceased and 18 missing."

Henderson said all vessels in the remote area had been asked to steam to the site where the ship went down to assist the search for survivors.

A Royal New Zealand Air Force Orion plane was also being sent to the area, he said.

Henderson said New Zealand authorities received no distress call before the ship sank. He did not know how the survivors were rescued.

"Whether it's in lifeboats, whether they've been picked up by other vessels is unclear," he said.

"Details are very scant at this stage."

A coastguard spokesman in the southern South Korean port of Busan, where the ship is based, told AFP there were eight Koreans, eight Chinese, 11 Indonesians, 11 Vietnamese, three Filipinos and one Russian on board.

He identified the ship as the 614-ton Number One Insung.

Another South Korean fishing boat was involved in the rescue after reporting the accident to its home port, the spokesman said, and it also asked for help from New Zealand.

Agence-France Presse

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