PASIR PUTEH: Operators of deep-sea fishing boats will lose their licence if they insist on landing their catch in neighbouring countries.
Fisheries Department director-general Datuk Ismail Abu Hassan said since the implementation of the prohibition last year, his department had cancelled the licences of 400 deep-sea fishing boat operators as they were found to have breached the conditions of the licence including on landing their catch in neighbouring countries.
“We will monitor their every movement at sea through satellite and the monitoring screen at the headquarters and if they are found to go outside national waters, show-cause letters would be issued to them and if they fail to give a satisfactory answer, their licences would be cancelled,” he told reporters after speaking at the Kelantan Fisheries Department Dinner at Tok Bali, here Tuesday night.
More than 500 deep-sea fishing boat operators and coastal fishermen attended the dinner with the Kelantan Fisheries Department director, Mohd Zin Saat, also present.
Ismail said so far, there were 1,277 deep-sea fishing boat operators throughout the country. — Bernama