BINTULU: The Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) here detained a local fishing vessel suspected to be carrying out fishing activities less than the permitted distance as specified in their licence book yesterday.
MMEA Bintulu Zone director Captain Mohd Khairol Anuar Saad said the vessel was detained around 6.30am, some 6.3 nautical miles off Kuala Tatau.
Inspections found out that the vessel was manned by a five-member crew including its skipper with three of them being locals and the other two were Indonesians.
“All the crew members aged between 38 and 65, have identity documents such as passports and permits to work on fishing vessels from the Malaysian Fisheries Department.
“The team managed to seize the vessel, fishing equipment along with 200kg of freshly caught fish.
“Both the crew and the vessel were escorted to the Bintulu Maritime Zone Vessel Detention Centre to be handed over to investigating officer for further action,” he said.
The case is being investigated under Section 8(b) of the Fisheries Act 1985 for having violated the valid conditions of the licence for fishing less than the permitted distance, which may result in a compound from the Malaysian Fisheries Department.
Mohd Khairol noted that the arrest was made based on public complaints that there were too many local fishing vessels encroaching on coastal areas and damaging fishing equipment for small fishermen, especially the coastal fishermen.
“In September alone, MMEA Bintulu has detained three local fishing vessels that have broken the law by fishing less than the permitted distance.
“This shows that the agency takes the public’s complaints related to this kind of encroachment seriously as it can cause damage to the coastal ecosystem and affect the income of small fishermen,” he said.
