A fisherman in Lutong preparing his ‘pakak’ fishing net for catching shrimps.
MIRI: The Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) has succeeded in preventing Suluk fishermen from getting out of Miri River to fish, and it now wants to expand its operations to the sea.
MMEA Miri’s commanding officer Syed Nor Adli Syed Abdul Rahman said Suluk fishermen had ‘disappeared’ from the scene as MMEA mounted blocks at the mouth of Miri River regularly.
“Illegal fishermen are now scared as they know our assets are stationed at the mouth of Miri River to check their movements,” Syed Nor Adli said to The Borneo Post when contacted yesterday.
He added that MMEA had tightened the noose on this issue based on their intelligence gathering and feedback from local fishermen, Marine Fishery Department, Malaysia Fisheries Development Authority, and the Immigration Department.
Syed Nor Adli said MMEA now proposed to do sea blocks some six miles from the river mouth to keep the sea clean of illegal fishermen.
On related matters, he thanked local fishermen for cooperating with MMEA during spot checks.
He said most of the fishermen now make it a point to bring along their identity cards and licences when going out to sea.
Syed Nor Adli added that the taskforce entrusted to monitor the sea for illegal fishermen meet every two weeks and copies of the reports from the meetings were sent to the Chief Minister’s Office and Miri Resident Office.