PASIR PUTEH: The 306 foreign vessels disposed of and sunk by the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) for illegal fishing in Malaysian waters since 2007 will bring new life as artificial reefs and fish breeding grounds in Kelantan, Terengganu and Pahang.
MMEA deputy director-general (operations) Kamaruszaman Abu Hassan said most of the seizures involved Vietnamese fishermen who encroached into Malaysian waters in those states.
“The boats, which were worth RM459 million after forfeiture by the courts, will now serve as artificial reefs and fish spawning grounds that will benefit coastal fishermen,” he told reporters at a boat disposal programme in Pulau Susu Dara waters around 10 nautical miles from Muara Tok Bali here today.
The reef locations will become sanctuaries and sources of food for marine life, he added.
Three boats worth RM4.5 million that were sunk as part of today’s events were detained by the Pahang MMEA for illegal fishing in 2019.
Kamaruszaman said Pahang MMEA would sink another three boats off the waters of Pulau Tioman after the court allows the forfeiture application.
He said Pahang MMEA would work with the Southeast Asian Fisheries Development Centre to ensure that the location was suitable and that the process would not affect marine biodiversity in the area.
“The areas involved will become the newest locations for marine ecosystems and as a way to conserve biodiversity. They will become sanctuaries and sources of food for marine life,” he said. - FMT
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