‘Fishermen incurring losses due to foreigners’

KUANTAN: The encroachment by foreign fishermen into Malaysian waters has caused RM600,242 in damage to local fishing boats and equipment in just two months, the state assembly was told.

Datuk Seri Sh Mohmed Puzi Sh Ali (BN-Peramu Jaya) said this figure was based on 30 police reports made by 24 fishermen from Kuala Pahang and Tanjung Agas in June and July.

“I’m appealing to the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) to step up its effort and end this problem that is affecting local fishermen,” he said yesterday.

Mohmed Puzi also wanted to know what efforts were being taken by the state government to eradicate the problem of encroachment, which has led to a decline in local fishermen’s catch, in addition to their damaged nets and boats.

State Rural Development, Agriculture and Agro-based Industry Committee chairman Datuk Shafik Fauzan Sharif said the MMEA constantly patrolled the seas and had met the fishermen’s association in Kuala Pahang.

“Part of the problem is also caused by local boat owners who employ foreign crew members, even from Vietnam, to catch fish. We can’t blame them because not many locals these days are interested in becoming fishermen,” Shafik said.

“Sometimes it is the foreign fishermen who use illegal netting that damages the habitats of fish and other marine life.”

It has been reported that these trawler nets also destroy the smaller nets used by local fishermen.