JAKARTA, Jan. 17 (Xinhua) -- The Indonesian maritime and fishery ministry sank at least 217 foreign boats last year for intruding the country's water and stealing fish, the minister said on Tuesday.
Most of the boats involved in illegally fishing were from Vietnam, followed by the Philippines, Malaysia, Thailand and other nations, Indonesian Minister for Maritime and Fishery Susi Pudjiastuti said.
"A total of 96 boats from Vietnam, 58 boats from the Philippines, 21 boats from Thailand and 38 from Malaysia have been sunk," Pudjiastuti said.
The minister stressed that Indonesia needs to take stern actions to safeguard its waters from rampant illegal fishing.
The policy has reduced such illegal acts and propped up the country's fishery industry, the minister said.
Illegal fishing had caused a huge economic loss for Indonesia, an archipelago country with around 17,500 islands.
