KUALA TERENGGANU: Officers from the state Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) seized two Vietnamese fishing trawlers and detained their crew during 'Ops Perkasa’ and ‘Ops Marikh’ near Kuala Terengganu waters on Thursday.
Terengganu (DM9) MMEA Department director Captain Maritime Rahim Ramli said both clone trawlers were stopped while their Vietnamese crew were caught illegally fishing at the scene.
He said the trawlers were spotted by the enforcement team near the Kuala Terengganu river estuary at 11.30am.
"They tried to avoid enforcement officers by cutting their fishing nets and moving their trawlers away, but our men managed to block them off after a short chase," Rahim said.
He said the first trawler, with the registration number PAF 4112, was stopped about 45 nautical miles from the Kuala Terengganu estuary; while the second trawler, PAF 4189, was detained 37 nautical miles from the estuary.
"Ten Vietnamese crew members, including a tekong, were found without valid travel documents in the first trawler.
“Another five crew members and a tekong without documentation were in the second boat. All of them, aged between 21 and 40, were taken to the MMEA jetty here," he added.
The case is being investigated under the Fisheries Act 1985 and Act 547 of the Penal Code. If convicted, the tekong could be fined up to RM1 million, and the crew could be jailed for up to six months.
Rahim said that 1.5 tonnes of “trash” fish, two tonnes of fish of various types, and 27,000 litres of diesel were seized.
Both trawlers and their fishing gear are worth RM2.4 million.