2 Vietnam fishing boats held

KOTA TINGGI: Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) detained two foreign fishing boats with registration numbers identical to local vessels and seized RM8 million worth of items and catch on Friday.

Tanjung Sedili Zone Maritime Commander Mohd Zulfadli Nayan said the vessels were detained at 3.40pm and 4.20pm, 30 nautical miles off Kuala Tanjung Sedili.

“We also detained 46 crew members and two skippers, aged between 17 and 51. Based on identification records, they are from Vietnam,” he said yesterday.

“MMEA officers found local and foreign registration documents on one of the vessels. The boats were taken to Tanjung Sedili maritime zone jetty and the case is being investigated under Section 14, 15 and 16 of the Fisheries Act 1985 for trespassing and fishing in Malaysian waters without permit.”

He said MMEA had obtained a 14-day remand order on the crew and skippers, adding that it was the largest haul by Tanjung Sedili MMEA involving foreign fishing vessels this year.