KUALA TERENGGANU: A foreign fishing vessel was detained by the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) off the coast of Terengganu after an hour-long high-seas chase.
Agency director Captain Hamiludin Che Awang said the incident occurred at about noon on Friday, when officers spotted the crew of a trawler pulling up their nets to haul in their catch.
He said the vessel attempted to ram the MMEA patrol boat when officers moved in to intercept it, before fleeing the area.
“After a chase of almost an hour, we were able to detain the foreign fishermen who had trespassed into Terengganu waters,” he said yesterday, Bernama reported.
He added that three crew members, including the skipper, aged between 19 and 45, were detained about 144 nautical miles off Kuala Terengganu.
Besides using unauthorised fishing gear, Hamiludin said inspections found that the vessel was also operating without a valid licence or proper documentation.
“If convicted, the boat owner could face a maximum fine of RM6mil for trespassing into Malaysian waters and fishing without a valid permit, while each crew member could be fined up to RM600,000,” he said.
