KUALA NERUS: A total of 131 foreign fishing boats that were forfeited by the Malaysian authorities had been disposed of as artificial reef in the Terengganu waters since the past 10 years.
Terengganu Maritime director Maritime Captain Muhammad Sufi Mohd Ramli said this year, the agency expected to be able to dispose of 35 more foreign fishing boats.
“The sinking of the boat as artificial reef is an initiative by the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (APMM) to promote marine biodiversity and increase tourism through scuba diving recreational activities,“ he added.
He told reporters this to reporters after sinking four Vietnamese fishing boats in the waters of Pulau Redang, today.
The Vietnamese boats were seized in Op Naga Barat and Op Kuda Laut in 2020.
Meanwhile, Muhammad Sufi said that encroachment by foreign fishing boats into Malaysian waters was on the decline currently, due to the Northeast Monsoon season, but expected to increase again after the Chinese New Year season. – Bernama
