BINTULU: The Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) here detained two local fishing boats and 10 crew members suspected of fishing less than the permitted distance specified in their licence yesterday (Oct 4).
MMEA Bintulu director Captain Mohd Khairol Anuar Saad said they were detained around 6.17 am after they were spotted about six nautical miles from Tanjung Payung.
The team found that the first boat was operated by four crew members including its skipper, two of whom are locals and two Indonesians. The crew members were aged between 23 and 64.
Meanwhile, the second boat was operated by six crew members including skippers, aged between 20 and 53. Two of them are locals and four Indonesians.
“The agency found that the crew members of both boats had committed an offence under Section 8(b) of the Fisheries Act 1985 for violating the conditions of their licences by carrying out fishing activities less than the permitted distance, which may be subject to a compound from the Malaysian Fisheries Department.
“In addition, the Indonesian crew members failed to show valid identification documents and they will be investigated under the Immigration Act 1959/63,” he said.
The crew members together with the fishing boats carrying about 1,500kg of sea catches, were escorted to the MMEA Bintulu Vessel Detention Centre Jetty for further action.
Mohd Khairol appealed to the public to channel information and complaints of any suspicious activities or accidents at sea to the MMEA Bintulu operations centre at 086-314 254 or MMEA Sarawak operations centre at 082-432544.
