Incensed by illegal foreigners catching bubuk in state waters, locals want chief minister to step in
A fishing boat without a Fisheries Department licence is seen at the Old Lutong Airport beach.
Unidentified fishermen bring in bubuk at the Old Lutong Airport beach. — Photos by Mohamad Abdullah
MIRI: Local fishermen are seeing red as they claim more than 10 longboats not registered with the Fisheries Department and manned by foreigners have been detected catching bubuk (krill) in waters just a few metres off the beaches here.
They claim there is no enforcement stopping the foreigners and that some have even set up temporary stalls run by their family members at the Old Lutong Airport beach road to sell the bubuk.
According to a community leader, who did not wish to be named, the fishermen are Suluk from the Philippines, who do not fear the authorities.
“These foreign fishermen have no boat licences with the Fisheries Department to catch fish in Sarawak waters according to state law, but they are are now increasing in number, fishing illegally,” he told The Borneo Post yesterday.
“If not tackled by the authorities, our fishing industry will soon be monopolised by foreigners. They go out to sea with their fishing boats and sometimes use illegal fishing nets to catch the fish.
“I appeal to Sarawak Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Adenan Satem to take action to solve the problem of small-time fishermen here as there is a lack of enforcement,” he said.
He also sought the help of Senadin assemblyman Datuk Lee Kim Shin to protect the source of income for local fishermen in the constituency.
“According to my understanding, those with Malaysian identity cards bearing the number 12 from Sabah are not allowed to catch fish in Sarawak waters. Only those fishermen with identity card numbers bearing the number 13 — Sarawakians can catch fish in Sarawak waters,” he said.
Fisherman Kamberi Bakar claimed that following a dialogue with the authorities over the issue, the enforcement agencies only conducted checks on local fishermen and not the foreigners, which further angered locals.
“Me and other fishermen from Kampung Piasau Utara, Miri have been highlighting the issue of foreign fishermen, some without proper documentation, with the Immigration Department here last year, but no action was taken to curb their influx,” he claimed.
According to Kamberi, he even disclosed where the foreigners are living at Pujut 7 near the bridge, Old Lutong Airport in front of SMK Lutong beach, and Batu 5, Lutong-Kuala Baram road near the old rubbish dump, but still no enforcement was carried out.
Fellow fisherman Masni Jana also lamented that foreigners are affecting their livelihood.
He claimed some of the foreign fishermen rented houses in Piasau Utara and Kampung Wireless and urged the authorities to take action immediately.
A check by The Borneo Post found several boats without Fisheries Department license numbers catching bubuk at the Old Lutong Airport beach.