JERTIH: A total of 12 foreign fishing boats confiscated by the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) were disposed of as artificial reefs in Terengganu waters this year.
Terengganu MMEA director, Maritime Captain Hamiludin Che Awang, said the boats, worth RM1.7mil, were among those seized by the agency last year.
He told reporters here on Tuesday (Oct 21) that the boats were disposed of as artificial reefs to support efforts to conserve marine ecosystems and enrich marine biodiversity.
He said using the confiscated boats as artificial reefs is an environmentally friendly alternative to traditional disposal methods and contributes to creating new habitats for marine species.
Hamiludin said the boats were disposed of in collaboration with various agencies. – Bernama
