JAKARTA – To improve the effectiveness of monitoring of fish and fishery products traffic in the airports, Angkasa Pura Airports signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Fish Quarantine and Fishery Quality Control Agency (BKIPM) of the Ministry of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries.
The MoU signing was carried out by Angkasa Pura Airports President Director Faik Fahmi and BKIPM head Rina at BKIPM head office in Jakarta on Friday (03/15/2019).
The scope of this MoU includes the execution of various activities in the form of providing data through Content Notification (PTI) related to fish and fishery products distributed through cargo, utilizing x-ray machines for inspection and / or re-inspection for expenditure, entry or transit, provision and utilization of physical inspection facilities in passenger terminals and cargo terminals, and provision of technical guidance and / or training. In addition, there is also an increase both in interagency coordination and human resource capacity.
"The shipments of fishery industry products for export through air cargo continue to grow every year. However, this growth is not supported by shipments of fishery products that are not in accordance with prevailing regulations and smuggling still exist. Therefore, we support BKIPM to help monitor fishery products’ traffic through airplanes at Angkasa Pura I airports," said Angkasa Pura president director Faik Fahmi.
It is the second signing of the MoU while the first signing was held on February 17, 2017. As an information, in the 2016 to 2018 there were 39 cases of smuggling which were successfully thwarted at 13 airports managed by Angkasa Pura Airports. Some objects smuggled are baby lobster, coral reefs, eggs turtles, green mussels, seahorses, sea cucumbers, walnut crabs, mangrove crabs, corals and saltwater clam shells.
"The signing of this MoU is a form of commitment and good synergy between BKIPM and Angkasa Pura Airports to monitor fish traffic. The value of Fish Resources (SDI) which was saved by Angkasa Pura Airports through 13 airports managed in 2018 then reached to Rp 125,149,940,000 (US$8.8 million). We truly appreciate Angkasa Pura Airports’ efforts and hard work in supporting and maintaining the biodiversity of fish in the country," Rina said.
