Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries seizes vessel in Spermonde fish bombing raid

The Indonesian Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries (KKP) has seized the vessel KM Nurmaulina and arrested five crew members suspected of using explosives to catch fish in the Spermonde Archipelago, South Sulawesi.

The operation was launched after the Marine and Fisheries Resources Surveillance (PSDKP) team detected explosions in the waters on Thursday, August 27, 2026, at approximately 09:00 WITA. Authorities recovered approximately 20 kilograms of fish believed to be obtained through blasting, along with a compressor unit.

Director General of PSDKP, Pung Nugroho Saksono, described the activity as an organized method involving multiple vessels. One group reportedly throws the explosives and quickly moves away, while another group collects the fish via surface retrieval or diving. Officials noted that such destructive fishing practices cause severe damage to marine ecosystems, particularly coral reefs and fish habitats. The vessel and crew have been taken to the PSDKP Surveillance Unit in Makassar for further investigation.