GEORGE TOWN: A fishing trawler was intercepted at open sea for allegedly encroaching into area it is not licensed to operate.
The boat with three crew on board, including its skipper were picked up near the southern tip of the island during a routine operation early morning.
State Malaysian Martitime Enforcement Agency enforcement unit chief First Admiral Kamaruszaman Abu Hassan said the trawler had swooped in some 350 kilograms of daily catch.
"Our initial check showed that the trawler has violated the licence to fish at waters it is not supposed to operate," he said in a press statement today.
He said the trawler had operated about 6.6 nautical miles from Pulau Kendi.
Kamaruszaman said the trio were brought back to the Fisheries Development Authority of Malaysia office in Batu Maung here for further investigations.
The trio is being investigated under the Fisheries Act 1985 for abusing its license to fish at unauthorised waters.