MMEA nabs Vietnamese trawler for encroachment, illegal fishing

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Aminuddin (left) speaks to the Vietnamese crew at the detention centre.

BINTULU: A skipper and 10 crew members were detained after the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) intercepted a Vietnamese trawler involved in illegal fishing activities here.

MMEA Bintulu director Aminuddin Abdul Rashid said the trawler was detected about 160 nautical miles from here during an ‘Ops Permai’ patrol by MMEA personnel on Sept 16.

“During the patrol, they came across a trawler involved in illegal fishing activities. MMEA personnel immediate detained the skipper and 10 Vietnamese crew members after an inspection revealed they had no valid permit to carry out fishing activities,” he said in a press conference yesterday.

Those detained have been remanded for further investigation under the Fisheries Act 1985, he added.

Aminuddin also urged local fishermen, boat operators and anglers to report encroachment by foreign fishermen to MMEA by contacting its operations centre on 086-314024.