KUCHING: The Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) detained a local fishing boat and its six crew members for allegedly violating the conditions of their licence.
MMEA Sarawak director First Admiral Kamal Ariffin Jusoh said they were detained around 11 pm during ‘Ops Permai’ and ‘Ops Tiris 3.0’ patrols on Tuesday (May 14).
The boat, operated by six local crew members, including its skipper, was spotted at about 4.5 nautical miles east of Tanjung Po.
“We suspected that the crew, aged between 24 and 49, carried out fishing activities less than seven nautical miles from the shore, as specified in their licence.
“Following this, the boat along with the crew, fishing equipment and fish catch weighing 100kg, were escorted to the Tun Abang Salahuddin Maritime Complex Jetty (KOMTAS) for further action,” he said.
The case is being investigated under the Fisheries Act 1985.
In light of this, the agency assured that they are committed to conducting patrols and monitoring to thwart smuggling, intrusion, and maritime crime in the country’s waters.
Members of the maritime community are encouraged to report any suspicious activity, maritime crime, or emergencies at sea directly to the MMEA Sarawak Operations Centre at 082-432544.
