PASIR PUTEH: The Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) detained four fishing vessels and 43 Vietnamese fishermen, including their skippers, for illegal fishing in the country’s waters on Thursday.
Kelantan MMEA deputy director (operations) Khairun Dalilah Baharun said the illegal fishing vessels were discovered during the Op Damai, Op Khas Kuda Laut, Op Naga Barat and Op Tiris patrols by the enforcement vessel KD Amanah 125 to 150 nautical miles from the Tok Bali estuary.
She said two of the boats were detained at 8.18am and 9.01am. The other two were caught while the enforcement vessel was escorting the first two boats back to the detention jetty at 2.32pm and 2.50pm.
“The fishing boats tried to flee towards international waters when they were ordered to stop.
“The enforcement vessel had to overtake them and board the boats by force. All the fishermen on board were Vietnamese men, aged between 16 and 61,” she told a press conference at the MMEA Tok Bali office here today.
Khairun said the four boats, 6,000kg of fish on board; fishing, navigation and communications equipment; and diesel seized in the operation were estimated to be worth RM3.86 million.
Since the beginning of the year, 17 Vietnamese fishing vessels, with 137 fishermen and skippers on board, have been detained by the Kelantan MMEA. Equipment worth RM18.56 million was also seized. - FMT
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