MMEA detains seven fishermen for using illegal net

GEORGE TOWN: The Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) has detained seven fishermen for using modified nets (pukat lohong) to catch fish.

The fishermen were detained together with their boat at 0.2 nautical miles northeast of Tanjung Bungah on Monday (Jan 31) at about 12.40am.

State MMEA director Kapt Abd Razak Mohamed said the boat was detained when the boat crew were using pukat lohong which was outlawed by the Fisheries Department.

"The boat which was based at Bakau Tua in Penaga was conducted by seven crew aged between 18 and 24," he said in a statement.

Kapt Abd Razak said the crew and their boat were brought to the state maritime headquarters for further investigation.

He said the case would be investigated under Fishery Act 1985 for using unlicensed fishing equipment.

He advised the fisherman community to comply with the rules to catch fish according to their license so that they would not go against the existing rules.

"For complaints of maritime offences at sea or emergencies, the public can call our hotline at 04-262 6146 or MERS 999," he added.