Association welcomes abolition of licences for foreign fishermen

MIRI: Fishermen in Sarawak have long disagreed with the issuance of licences to foreign fishing vessels to operate in local waters, particularly trawlers.

Miri Fishermen’s Association chairman Musa Bujang said many of those issued with licences have 100 per cent foreign crews.

“The catch is not 100 per cent landed at Malaysian Fisheries ( Development Authority) complexes. On the contrary, the quality fish are transferred to a ‘ mother boat’ at sea to be sent to other countries or the country of their employer,” he told The Borneo Post yesterday.

Musa claimed local fishermen have seen foreigners using duplicate licences for more than one vessel.

“It’s also doing terrible damage to the coral reefs because the foreign vessels use destructive fishing equipment, including one-mile long fishing nets, including pair trawling

The catch is not 100 per cent landed at Malaysian Fisheries (Development Authority) complexes. On the contrary, the quality fish are transferred to a ‘mother boat’ at sea to be sent to other countries or the country of their employer. Musa Bujang, Miri Fishermen’s Association chairman

fishing, which is not permitted in our country.

“These foreign fishing vessels will also encroach on other fishing zones, especially at night, when the authorities are not available, and they will do fishing sometimes in the coastal areas,” he further claimed.

Musa was commenting on the Ministry of Agriculture and Agro- based Industry’s announcement that it would completely abolish the issuance of deep sea fishing licences to foreign fishermen to protect the interests of locals.

According to Minister Datuk Salahuddin Ayub, 828 deep sea fishing licences had been issued by the Fisheries Department to foreign and local fishermen.