KUALA TERENGGANU: Maritime bases off the South China Sea are facing increasing challenges while being cramped with hundreds of seized illegal fishing boats and detained foreign fishermen.
To the effect, the over-crowding is also affecting the effective operations of the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA)’s east coast region.
It is learnt that up to 400 foreign vessels, comprising almost entirely Vietnamese fishing boats, have been docked at the MMEA’s limited- parking jetties in Kuala Terengganu, Tok Bali and Kemaman in Terengganu as well as Kuantan, Pahang in recent years.
With such a large haul of vessels and the detention of hundreds of fishermen, MMEA enforcement team’s task to keep safe the country’s waters from unscrupulous drag-net fishing is all the more daunting.
Moreover, the agency also has to provide the detained fishermen with clothes, food and beverages while awaiting court proceedings.
To make matters even more complex, MMEA is being pushed to the limit with insufficient vessels and manpower to carry out its tasks, according to its eastern region commander First Admiral Datuk Mamu Said Alee.
“Frankly, we need a minimum of 20 offshore patrol vessels to scour the eastern region’s coastline covering 127,000 sq km, but have only seven in our fleet.
“Thus, we have to make do by deploying available vessels to hot spot areas which we highly suspect are prone to illegal fishing by foreign boats.
“We also rely heavily on tip offs from local fishermen plying the area and assistance from maritime volunteers,” said Mamu at the handing-over of duties of the 9th Maritime District commander in Jalan Hiliran, Pulau Kambing.
Capt Zainolabidin Jusoh is retiring after 41 years’ service upon turning 60 years today (Tuesday) and is replaced by Capt Rahim Ramli, 58.
“The task is even more daunting as the foreign fishing vessels are large, had powerful engines and often operated 30 nautical miles (about 55.5km) far off the coastline, where local fishermen shy away from the deep sea,” said Mamu.
It is no secret that a large number of the foreign vessels are sturdier and menacing than that of the MMEA’s.
It is also learnt that Malaysia is a favourite hunting ground for Vietnamese fishermen given the close proximity and the lack of comprehensive screening.
Syndicates are believed to be taking advantage of this scenario to ferry workers and cargo illegally, in and out off Malaysian waters.
Many of those detained and who are deported after serving their sentences, return here simply owing to difficulties back home and the opportunities in Malaysian waters.
For the past 18 months, the MMEA carried out 7,000 inspections with the seizure of 157 vessels, including 13 cloned boats.
During the one-month Ops Pagar Laut of the Aidilfitri season, the agency checked 600 foreign vessels, detaining 17 vessels and 87 Vietnamense illegals, aged 21 to 60 years, leading to the recovery of RM34 millions of marine cargo.