IPOH, Sept 8 — Six C category dragnet fishing vessels and a Category B1 dragnet fishing vessel worth RM6.5 million were seized for various offences under the Fishing Act 1985 from Sept 4 to 8.
Perak State Fisheries Department director Mohd Ghazali A. Manap said the vessels were detained after carrying out Monitoring, Control and Surveillance of Fishing Vessels at Pantai Barat Siri 3/2023 during the period.
Mohd Ghazali said the programme involved the department’s Monitoring, Control and Surveillance (MCS) Unit in Kampung Acheh with the cooperation of the Putrajaya Fish Conservation and Preservation Division and the Penang MCS Unit comprising 21 officers and three sea assets.
He said all the vessels were detained less than eight and 15 nautical miles (according to zone) from Sabak Bernam, Selangor and involved offences like using foreigners as fishing crew and without approval or permit from the Fisheries Director-General.
The vessels were spotted by the Vessel Monitoring System used by the department.
“All the vessels were taken to the Kampung Acheh MCS for further investigations,” said the department in a statement tonight.
— Bernama
