Man detained after drift net found at dive site in Sipadan Island

KOTA KINABALU: Sabah Tourism, Culture and Environment Minister Datuk Jafry Ariffin has expressed disappointment over the discovery of a 900m-long drift net in a dive site at the world-famous Sipadan Island, off the east coast of Semporna district.

This was after Sabah Parks rangers and divers made the find while cleaning the beach at about 6am on Friday (Sept 23).

By that time, the drift net had already done substantial damage. Some 18 types of fish were caught on the net and died, including fishes locally known as kumai and ogos, as well as two sharks. There was also some damage to the coral reef.

Jafry described the action to leave the drift net as irresponsible as it was destructive to the marine life in the area and wanted firm action to be taken against those who committed the offence.

“If this was caused by negligence, then appropriate action must be taken as a lesson to everyone to be more careful in future,” he said in a statement here on Saturday (Sept 24).

He added that a man who admitted the net belonged to him had been detained in connection with the case.

Based on the initial report, the Sabah Parks rangers and dive marshals were conducting a beach clean-up when they noticed drift net buoys from the Barracuda Point to the Hanging Garden dive site.

They were later shocked to find the 900m-long drift net being caught among the corals in the water.

Efforts to remove the drift net were then immediately carried out by divers from tourism operators such as Seahorse Scuba Sdn Bhd, Dive Semporna and Borneo Jungle, among others.

At about 9.40am, the divers spotted a long wooden boat, known locally as jongkong, entering the Sipadan Island Park.

It was later found that the man who operated the boat had no valid permit to enter the area and was later arrested.

“From initial investigations, the man admitted to owning the net but claimed it had been carried by the current and drifted to the Sipadan Island Park,” said Jafry.

Jafry said work to remove the net was done into the night and later continued on Saturday morning, involving 25 divers registered with the Sabah Parks.