Philippines to ask Indonesia for safe passage of fishing boats

MANILA, Philippines - The Philippines will ask Indonesia to grant the safe passage of fishing vessels in its Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) later this month.

The Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) said that passing through Indonesian waters would be the cheaper option.

It also will cut travel time of Philippine fishing boats by 31 nautical miles, ensuring that the catch of fish,  mostly tuna,  would be delivered fresh.

Eastern Mindanao Command chief Ricardo Ranier Cruz III said that the Philippine Border Committee and defense officials will formally raise the request during the Joint Committee on Bilateral Relations meeting to be held in Jakarta on February 24 and 25.

"We will bring this request to higher authorities and hopefully we can settle this before the year ends," Cruz said.

BFAR XI Regional Director Fatma Idris, meanwhile, explained that the present navigational path of the Philippine registered fishing vessels is bounded by the Micronesia's EEZ to the north and east, of Palau to the west, and of Indonesia and Papua New Guinea to the south.

This current route in the Pacific Ocean stretches for 735 nautical miles. Passing through Indonesian maritime borders would only take 704 nautical miles.

Idris explained that negotiations on the new fishing route would have to be based on the United Nations on the Convention of the Law of the Seas (UNCLOS) and through the Regional Fisheries Management Organization and then the Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission.

"Since both countries support the doctrines of the UNCLOS and share a common boundary then there is a concern on the recognition of safe innocent passage from GSC in the Philippines through Indonesia’s EEZ," Idris said. - Camille Diola