Two vessels detained for fishing too close to shore in Sabah waters
KOTA KINABALU: Two fishing vessels were detained by the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) for breaching licence conditions by operating too close to shore in the waters off Tabawan, Kunak.
The vessels, using the purse seine method where a large wall of netting surrounds schools of fish, were stopped separately during patrols under Ops Pluto Timur 2/2023 and Ops Tiris 3.0 at about 11.30am, yesterday, some 0.37 nautical miles east of Madai, said Lahad Datu Maritime Zone director Maritime Commander Dzulfikhar Ali in a statement.
Initial inspections on the first vessel found four crew members onboard — two Malaysians aged 31 and 39, and two Filipinos aged 28 and 65 — along with five kilogrammes of anchovy catch.
The second vessel was manned by two Malaysians aged 21 and 23, and two Filipinos aged 15 and 22, with a four-kilogramme catch. All eight individuals were found with valid identification documents.
Further checks revealed both vessels had operated within 1.5 nautical miles of the nearest shoreline, a direct violation of the Fisheries Act 1985 for failing to comply with their licence conditions.
'Firm action will be taken against any fishing boat operators who disregard licence terms, especially those found fishing in restricted zones,' Dzulfikhar said.
The vessels, crew and catch were brought to the Lahad Datu Maritime jetty for further investigation.
On June 5, a similar case was reported near Kota Kinabalu when a local fishing vessel was caught operating just one nautical mile off Tanjung Tembungo. That case involved an Indonesian crew and nearly one tonne of fish, also seized for breaching nearshore fishing restrictions.
Under the Fisheries Act 1985, purse seine fishing vessels must operate at least 1.5 nautical miles from shore to safeguard marine ecosystems and ensure the sustainability of Malaysia's fishery resources.
The MMEA is urging the maritime community to comply with maritime laws and report any suspicious activities via WhatsApp at 016-9305727 or the MERS 999 emergency line.
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