Marine police and state Fihderies Depattment enforcement officials carrying out checks for any suspected bombed fish sold at the market in Sabah's east coast Tawau town.
KOTA KINABALU: An all out war against culprits of fish bombing and sellers of bombed fish in markets is showing some positive results.
Sabah Marine Police Commander Asst Comm Mohamad Pajeri Ali said joint operations with state Fisheries Department enforcement personnel in the east coast of Tawau did not detect any case of fishermen using the blast method nor fish caught this way being sold in the markets.
ACP Pajeri said on Thursday (July 25) that they checked 11 boats and six traditional fishing platforms at sea (known as bagang).
They found that all the boats were licensed and adhered to the rules and regulations. There were also no signs of the bombing method being used in the Indrasabah and Merotai Bay waters off Tawau.
He said they detected no cases of bombed fish being sold at the Tawau fish market during the operations which commenced on Tuesday (July 23).
ACP Pajeri said the ongoing operations would continue as the marine police were going all-out against the decades-old menace.
“This is to ensure the safety of traditional fishermen and tourists, as well as to protect the marine eco-system,” he added.
He said under Section 26(1) of the Fisheries Act 1985, blast fishing was an offence and those found guilty could face a maximum fine of RM20,000 or jailed two years or both.
“We hope the maritime community will give us information on such illegal activities so we can act decisively,” he added.
A similar check at another eastern Sabah’s Lahad Datu town’s fish market on Wednesday (July 24) also did not detect any signs either of bombed fish being sold to the public.
ACP Pajeri said that marine officers also held a talk with some 40 sea gypsies, or Pelahus, to advise them against fish bombing or fish poisoning activities.
“It was part of the efforts to spread awareness among the target groups,” he said.
Since local divemaster Ab Zainal Abdu, 30 and China nationals Zhao Zhong, 26 and Xu Yingjie, 26 were killed while taking diving lessons at a site off Pulau Kalapuan in Semporna on July 5, authorities across the state have stepped up operations to nab culprits involved in fish bombing.
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