Arrest, robbery, vessel seizure – these are just some of the risks that Malaysia’s coastal fishermen must deal with to make a living now that they are forced to travel further offshore to catch fish.
Maritime and environmental experts blame years of overfishing, destructive fishing practices and poaching by foreign fishermen for the precipitous decline of fish stocks in Malaysia’s coastal waters, and even the disappearance of some fish species.
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Malaysian fisher folk share their stories
Apart from the loss of income due to depleted fish stocks, Rosilawati is alarmed by the longer-term environmental impact of illegal, unregulated and unreported fishing in the region. — ALIZA SHAH & JOHENSON GOH
Though Abd Aziz has been arrested multiple times chasing after fish and ending up in Indonesian waters, he believes there isn’t much else he can do if he is to earn a living. — ALIZA SHAH & JOHENSON GOH
Jamaluddin explains that as the distance between Malaysia and Indonesia is narrower off the coast of Pontian, fishermen following fish trails will sometimes stray into Indonesian waters. — ALIZA SHAH & JOHENSON GOH
Mazlin says that fishermen using illegal nets, such as tagan or static nets, can damage corals or even pull them out of the seabed. — ALIZA SHAH & JOHENSON GOH
Mohd Zuhir couldn’t cover his costs with the trip he made just before speaking to us. The fuel and bait added up to more than the RM108 he received from selling his catch to a businessman. — ALIZA SHAH & JOHENSON GOH
Zaini was unlucky enough to have his catch worth RM600 confiscated when he was stopped and boarded by Indonesian authorities. — ALIZA SHAH & JOHENSON GOH
Even deep sea fishing is harder now, says Zulkifli: ‘In the past we might catch a certain amount of fish in the first throw of the net, now we have to do it two or three times to get the same amount of fish as before.’ — ALIZA SHAH & JOHENSON GOH
Rasid has been forced to supplement fishing with making and selling sea-themed handicraft, such as this bamboo model ship. — ALIZA SHAH & JOHENSON GOH
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