T'gganu MMEA seizes 3 Vietnamese fishing boats for encroachment

KUALA TERENGGANU: The Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) detained three boats and seized more than six tonnes of fish and squid from Vietnamese fishermen who encroached in the country's waters yesterday.
State MMEA director, Maritime captain Rahim Ramli said the first arrest was made around noon followed by the second at 12.54 pm and third at 1.20 pm, about 27 to 31 nautical miles off Kuala Terengganu.
He said the three boats detained in 'Operasi Perkasa Timur dan Darul Iman' were carrying out illegal fishing using banned 'keroncong' fishing nets that are destructive to the marine ecosystem.
The 16 crew members aged 19 and 58, which included three skippers did not have a permit to fish in the area and one of them also failed to produce a valid identification document.
"We believe the three boats have just arrived in Terengganu from Kelantan and the crew attempted to deceive enforcement personnel by waving the state flag. However, the physical form of the boats gave them away. Vietnamese fishing boats look different from local fishing boats," he said.
The confiscated items involving three boats, six tonnes of catch and 7,000 litres of diesel are estimated to be worth around RM2.1 million. — Bernama