Local fishermen claim intrusion by foreign vessels
The foreign fishing vessels are now so daring that they conduct illegal fishing up to eight miles from Kuala Niah and Kuala Sibuti. Jamali Basri, Miri Fishermen Association (MFA) chairman
MIRI: Local fishermen are furious as foreign fishing vessels are encroaching on Sarawak’s waters and found fishing illegally up to eight miles from the shore here.
Miri Fishermen Association (MFA) chairman Jamali Basri said their modus operandi is to sneak in from international waters at night and fish in the state’s waters illegally without the detection of the authorities.
“The foreign fishing vessels are now so daring that they conduct illegal fishing up to eight miles from Kuala Niah and Kuala Sibuti,” Jamali told The Borneo Post following reports of sightings of foreign fishing vessels believed to be from Vietnam.
According to reports from local fishermen from Sibuti, Jamali said a few Vietnamese vessels were seen fishing illegally not far from Kuala Sibuti the past five days without any fear of being intercepted by the authorities.
He said MFA was worried that if no action was taken, the foreign vessels would come back to the local fishing spots and disrupt their catch.
Jamali further said that these foreign fishing vessels were seen using trawling and special nets to catch fish without releasing the small ones, which endangers local marine life and fish species off Sibuti-Miri waters.
“Since the last reported sighting of foreign fishing vessels a week ago, no action has been taken by the authorities, which worries fishermen including the local class A, B and C fishermen,” he elaborated.
Jamali urged the state government to intervene fast as reports by fishermen said that there were about 50 foreign fishing vessels, 50 nautical miles from Tanjung Sirik, waiting to sneak into Sarawak’s waters to harvest the fish here which would be brought to another vessel.
“We will compile all the photographs taken by the local fishermen and take videos to record the encroachment by foreign fishermen into Sarawak’s waters,” Jamali added.
He said the foreign fishing vessels are very smart as they play hide and seek with the authorities and know when they conduct patrols.
MFA hoped Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency ( MMEA) will catch these culprits and seize their vessels and fishing nets that have been destroying the marine life here.
Another local fisherman, who wished to be known as Stanley, said the crew of two of his Class C fishing vessels, while fishing along Suai and Sibuti waters, saw a number of Vietnamese fishing boats fishing 15 to 20 miles off Suai and Miri waters.
He claimed that so far no enforcement vessels were seen monitoring these waters.