GEORGE TOWN – The Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) has disposed of six seized foreign and local fishing boats and fishing equipment worth RM192,000 in connection with various offences, at Limbongan Batu Maung, near here today.
Its Penang director Abd Razak Mohamed said the disposal had obtained approval from the court to dispose of five Indonesian fishing boats, a local fishing fibre boat, 492 sets of bubu naga fish traps and two modified pukat lohong nets.
“All the disposals carried out today involve arrests conducted by MMEA around the waters off Penang throughout last year. Each Indonesian fishing boat is worth RM30,000, while the local boat is worth RM12,000, and the rest is fishing equipment.
“The seizures involve offences under the Fisheries Act 1985, including fishing without a permit in Malaysian waters by foreign fishing boats, and the use of outlawed fishing equipment such as bubu naga fish traps and modified nets. The local boat did not have a registration number,” he told reporters after disposing of six boats and fishing equipment in Limbongan Batu Maung, here today.
He said the disposal was a clear message from Penang MMEA that it strictly enforces the law to ensure no compromise with those who violate the rules in order to protect the country’s marine resources and waters.
Razak added that throughout this year his office had carried out a total of 4,379 inspections and searches with 76 arrests made involving various offences. – Bernama, December 28, 2022
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