Encroaching trawlers are biggest threat: Fishermen

BALIK PULAU: The uncertain weather is not as great a problem for inshore fishermen compared to the encroachment of the "pukat rimau" (trawlers).
Many fishermen theSun spoke to said braving the rough seas and heavy rain was a seasonal thing but trawlers affected their daily income.
Heng Kwang Yeow, 31, said trawlers should cast their nets eight nautical miles off the coast and not where fishermen like them fish.
These boats usually come at night to fish and their trawling activities would damage the nets of inshore fishermen, he added.
"A fishing net costs about RM200, sometimes we can repair the damage but other times we have to get a new one," he said after receiving the fishermen allowance from the Malaysia Fisheries Development Board (LKIM) today.
He is one of 689 fisherman in Balik Pulau to receive the aid as a measure to lessen the financial burden of fishermen.
Fishermen Sorne Mat Saleh, 56, voiced similar concerns and alleged complaints lodged with authorities did not amount to much.
"Nothing has been done as far as I can tell," he said, adding the high tides now also deterred many from going out to sea as conditions were dangerous for small crafts.
Hon Ah Bah, 70, said the sea now was not as clean as when he started fishing many years ago resulting in an unstable income and urged authorities to put a halt to encroachment by trawlers.
Penang South Fisherman Association chairman Arshad Omar said fishermen have lodged numerous complaints with the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) but to no avail.
Meanwhile, Penang MMEA District 2 director Captain Rozali Mohd Said said action can be taken when there was information on the location where such activities take place.
"If there is exact information on the location, we can conduct enforcement action and arrest boats which have encroached into non-permitted areas," he added.