Foreign fishermen using cargo licence to encroach

KUALA TERENGGANU: The latest modus operandi of foreign fishermen is to use a cargo licence as a guise for illegal fishing in the state’s waters, says the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) Terengganu director Maritime Kapt Muhammad Suffi Mohd Ramli.

The tactic was exposed following the detention of four Vietnamese fishing boats and 46 crew members, including the skippers, on March 31.The boat was believed to be on its way from Natuna Island to Vietnam but stopped in Terengganu waters to carry out fishing activities, he said.“All of them (Vietnamese fishermen) failed to produce their identity documents and letters of permission to fish legally in the country.