Fishermen happy with maritime enforcement

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MIRI: Fishermen here are happy with the success of the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency to curb encroachment in local waters.Miri Fishermen Association chairman Ahmad Lamat said yesterday fishermen here are very satisfied with the surveillance and monitoring  conducted  by  the agency to ensure safety and security at sea.

“They  have  been doing a very good  job  especially   in   dealing  with encroachment of foreign fishermen into  Malaysian  waters  and we will continue to extend  our  cooperation  and  support to the agency,” he said yesterday.

This  was  important,   Ahmad  said, as foreign fishermen were at times a threat  to  locals  because they  were  equipped  with   firearms.

He said the agency also helped to ensure   resources  from  the sea  were not exploited by foreign fishermen, who even took some endangered and protected species.

“Our members will immediately report or direct any information to the  agency  if  they  know  or  intercept activities of foreign fishermen in the sea, especially around  Miri,  for   immediate  action,” he added.

The agency also monitored any illegal activities by both local and foreign  vessels  such  as  smuggling.

“Both local fishermen and the agency will be working together to enhance the safety and security in our waters,” he added.

Oil platform workers were  also  thankful  for the presence of the agency.

“We  feel safe and  secure with their 24-hour presence. We are working in a dangerous and high risk area.

“The threat can come in many forms and at any time,” said an offshore worker who declined to be named.

He said the  agency’s  presence also deterred fishermen from carrying out fishing activities around the platform.

Meanwhile Miri Maritime enforcement    chief    maritime  Captain  Ismaili  Bujang  Pit  said  the agency will continue and increase their monitoring and surveillance work   to   increase   safety   and  security in their areas of operation.

“We need the support and co-operation from the public to provide us with any information on the presence of foreign fishermen and other illegal activities on the high seas,” he said.

The agency’s awareness programmes  such  as   ‘Program  Jiwa Murni’, he said, have been fruitful as the information channelled from local  fishermen resulted in the arrest of foreign fishermen encroaching into Malaysian waters.

“With the information given to us by local fishermen, we have been able to solve seven cases of encroachment of foreign fishermen within 30 minutes this year,” he added.