Saturday November 21, 2009
Trawler detained within conservation zone
SANDAKAN: The detention of a “Malaysian” fishing trawler with a Vietnamese crew within a marine conservation area in Sabah’s coast is worrying conservationists here.
The trawler flying the Jalur Gemilang was detained 6km within the 46,300ha Sugud Islands Marine Conservation Area (Simca) on Nov 14 after enforcement officials found the vessel loaded with butchered sharks and stingrays that were being dried.
Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) personnel assisted by staff of Reef Guardian Sdn Bhd, a company tasked by the Sabah government to act as Simca’s conservators, hauled a 3.5km-long gill net from the trawler that had trapped numerous endangered marine creatures.
Though most of these marine animals were already dead or starting to decompose by the time officials pulled up the net, six of the turtles, four leopard sharks, two guitar sharks and several stingrays were found alive and were immediately released back into the sea by the wardens.
Environmental hazard: The carcasses of butchered sharks and stingrays in the process of being dried onboard a locally owned Vietnamese fishing boat in Sandakan recently. Apart from the nine Vietnamese crewmen, enforcement personnel also found documents showing that the Vietnamese fishing vessel that was leased to a Malaysian company was only allowed to operate in the west coast of Sabah.
Sabah Anglers Association president Datuk Wilfred Lingham said the fact that the fishing trawler was found operating in area adjacent to the famed Turtles Islands Marine Park off Sandakan indicated that the fishermen were targeting the marine creatures.
“It also shows the Vietnamese were going after sharks for their fins,” he said, adding that as far as he knew, the trawler was only allowed to use long lines and not the gill nets.
“With the multiple offences that appeared to have been committed, the authorities should revoke the licence of this trawler,” he added.
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