Overview:
Palau has seized an Indonesian-flagged fishing vessel carrying more than 40 tons of fish inside its protected waters, marking a major enforcement breakthrough after years of attempted interdictions.
First successful apprehension since 2021 highlights renewed crackdown on illegal fishing
By: L.N. Reklai
Koror, Palau — Authorities have seized an Indonesian-flagged fishing vessel operating illegally within Palau’s Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ), marking the first successful apprehension of its kind in years and highlighting enforcement efforts to curb illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing.
The purse seine vessel KM Sinar-Arindo 6 was intercepted during Operation Rai Balang 2025, a joint regional surveillance exercise conducted from March 3 to 21, 2026, involving 12 member countries of the Pacific Islands Forum Fisheries Agency (FFA). Officials reported the vessel was carrying more than 40 tons of fish at the time of its capture.
The vessel’s captain, identified as Sujarwo, along with 29 crew members, is being held at the Division of Marine Law enforcement holding area in Malakal while the Office of the Attorney General prepares the case.
The seizure marks the first time since 2021 that Palau has successfully apprehended and brought an illegal fishing vessel to shore, a year after the Palau National Marine Sanctuary law came into effect. While satellite monitoring has detected suspected illegal activity in recent years, enforcement agencies had not made a successful capture until this operation.
Officials say the continued presence of illegal fish aggregating devices within Palau’s EEZ points to ongoing incursions into the country’s protected waters, including its designated no-take zones.
Palau has intensified cooperation with international partners, including the United States Coast Guard, Australia and fellow FFA member states, to strengthen maritime surveillance and enforcement. Joint operations such as Rai Balang are designed to detect and deter illegal fishing across the region’s vast ocean territories.
The latest seizure reflects a broader regional commitment to protecting marine resources and enforcing sovereign rights within EEZ boundaries.