Jayapura, Jubi – Fishermen from Merauke Regency in South Papua Province frequently venture beyond Indonesia’s maritime boundary while pursuing fish stocks, crossing into neighboring Papua New Guinea (PNG) waters.

Fish move freely across the sea and many originate from the mangrove ecosystems of South Papua Province. The mouth of the Fly River lies adjacent to South Papua, contributing to abundant fish stocks in the surrounding waters.

This abundance has long attracted Indonesian fishermen from Merauke, particularly because fish stocks in PNG waters remain plentiful.

Papua New Guinea has an Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) covering approximately 2.4 million square kilometers, making it one of the world’s richest fishing grounds, especially for high-value species such as tuna.

PNG’s waters are highly productive due to several factors. The country is considered one of the Pacific’s major tuna fishing grounds, while its marine environment forms part of the Coral Triangle, an area renowned for exceptional marine biodiversity that supports a wide range of pelagic and demersal fish species.

Pelagic fish are species that inhabit the open-water column, from near the surface to intermediate depths. They do not depend on the seabed and include larger species such as tuna, skipjack tuna, eastern little tuna, Spanish mackerel, and marlin. Smaller pelagic species include mackerel, sardines, anchovies, and scads.

Demersal fish, by contrast, live on or near the seafloor. These include red snapper, grouper, pomfret, flounder, and mullet.

Given the richness of PNG’s fisheries resources, many Indonesian fishermen from Merauke are drawn to target species such as barramundi and Chinese snapper, particularly for their swim bladders, which command high prices on international markets.

“They go to PNG because target species such as Chinese snapper, barramundi, and croaker remain abundant there, while enforcement by PNG authorities is relatively weak,” Jubi quoted a report published by dfw.or.id.

Fishermen often target snapper and croaker species primarily for their swim bladders, which are considered highly valuable commodities.

Swim bladders collected in Merauke are purchased by local traders and shipped to Surabaya and Jakarta before being exported to China.

The latest incident involved a fisherman from South Papua Province. Rizal, the captain of a fishing vessel from Merauke Regency, was reportedly shot and killed in PNG waters on Tuesday (9 June).

The victim was killed after the fishing vessel KM Sardy Utama, which he commanded, came under fire from a group of armed men. His body has yet to be recovered.

Taufik Latarisa, chairman of the Indonesian Fishermen Association (HNSI) of South Papua Province, said the organization received reports of the incident from surviving crew members.

The case is not an isolated one. In March 2025, at least 40 fishermen from Merauke were arrested after crossing approximately 10 nautical miles into PNG territory.

The vessels involved were KMN Akifa 01, KMN Bintang Samudra 92, and KM Eka Jaya. The fishing boats were intercepted and detained on 14 and 26 March 2025.

According to Indonesia’s public broadcaster RRI, six fishing vessels have been detained by PNG authorities over the past two years.

Three vessels were seized in 2024 and three more in 2025, involving a total of 38 crew members. One of the vessels, however, originated from Java rather than Merauke.

Earlier, on 14 April 2023, eight fishermen from Merauke were repatriated after serving sentences imposed by the Daru Court in Papua New Guinea.

Another 21 fishermen from Merauke underwent legal proceedings, with their sentences scheduled to end in April and November 2023.

A fatal shooting involving PNG maritime patrol officers also occurred on 22 August 2022, when PNG patrol personnel intercepted several Indonesian fishing vessels.

When KMN Calvin 02 attempted to flee, patrol officers opened fire, killing the vessel’s captain, Sugeng. The boat managed to return to Merauke carrying his body, while two other vessels were detained and escorted to Port Moresby.

Meanwhile, Rekianus Samkakai, head of the Merauke Regional Border Management Agency (BPPD), said that 132 fishermen from Merauke had been detained at Bomana Correctional Institution near Port Moresby between 2024 and March 2026.

The detentions resulted from repeated violations of maritime boundaries despite extensive public awareness campaigns regarding border regulations. In February 2026 alone, four fishing vessels from Merauke were apprehended in foreign waters.

Two vessels were detained in PNG waters, while two others were apprehended in Australian waters.

“Merauke is one of the regions in Indonesia where border violations occur repeatedly, whether by local and traditional fishermen or by modern fishermen operating larger vessels. Almost every day, week, and month, fishermen from Merauke cross international boundaries,” Rekianus was quoted as saying by infopublik.id.

According to Rekianus, regulations and restrictions regarding maritime borders have been repeatedly communicated to fishermen and vessel owners, yet violations continue to occur.

He said fishermen often admit that they follow fish migrating from Merauke into PNG and Australian waters in pursuit of larger catches.

The fishermen are believed to cross the border knowingly and with adequate navigation equipment.

Authorities say navigation systems are sometimes deliberately switched off after crossing into foreign waters, while fishing activities are conducted at night without lights to avoid detection by neighboring countries’ security forces.

According to officials, the primary motive is pursuit of significant profits from high-value catches. Both PNG and Australia take the protection of their sovereignty and marine resources very seriously. (*)