GEORGE TOWN: The Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) has disposed of six seized foreign and local fishing boats and fishing equipment worth RM192,000 in connection with various offences at Limbongan Batu Maung near here on Wednesday (Dec 28).
Penang MMEA director Maritime Captain Abd Razak Mohamed said approval for the disposal had been obtained from the courts involving five Indonesian fishing boats, a local fibreglass fishing boat, 492 sets of 'bubu naga' fish traps and two units of modified nets (pukat lohong).
"All the disposal cases carried out today involve arrests conducted by MMEA in waters off Penang throughout last year.
"Each Indonesian fishing boat is worth RM30,000, the local boat RM12,000 and the rest was fishing equipment.
"The seizures involve offences under the Fisheries Act 1985, including no fishing permit in Malaysian waters involving foreign fishing boats, the use of outlawed fishing equipment like the use of 'bubu naga' fish traps and modified nets while the local boat did not have a registration number, " he told reporters after disposing of six boats and fishing equipment in Limbongan Batu Maung, here on Wednesday (Dec 28).
He said the disposal was a clear message from Penang MMEA that it will strictly enforce the law for violating the rules in order to protect the marine resources and the country's waters.
Abd Razak added that throughout this year his office had carried out a total of 4,379 inspections and searches with 76 arrests made involving various offences. – Bernama
