MMEA detains five fishermen for using illegal traps

ALOR SETAR: The Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) has detained five fishermen including a Thai national for using illegal traps to catch sea snails.

The fishermen were detained together with their boat some 2.6 nautical miles west of Kuala Kedah estuary at about 6.50pm on Sunday (Jan 9).

Kuala Kedah zone MMEA director Commander Noor Azreyanti Ishak said an inspection on the boat found the fishermen were using the outlawed fishing method.

She said the fishermen, aged between 41 and 46 were found to have violated their licences under Section 8(b) of the Fisheries Act 1985 for possessing the illegal fishing equipment.

"This type of trap will affect the ecosystem as it is not selective, and all marine life, regardless of size, would be caught.

"This will lead to a population decline for all species of fish," she said in a statement Monday (Jan 9)."

Commander Noor Azreyanti said the Thai national was also found to have committed an offence under Section 6(3) of the Immigration Act 1959/1963 for not having a valid travel document.

The skipper, his crew and their boat were brought to Kuala Kedah maritime jetty for further investigation.