KUANTAN, Sept 22 ― The Fisheries Department detained two foreign fishing vessels and the 12 crew members onboard for trespassing into national waters to catch squid at a location 40.3 nautical miles from Kuala Kuantan here yesterday.
Its deputy director-general (management), Wan Muhammad Aznan said those detained, aged between 16 and 59, were believed to have just entered the country’s waters based on the catch of about 20 kilogrammes (kg) found in the two vessels.
“The raid was conducted at 9am and, at that time, the tekong and his crew were resting, possibly after catching squids the night before. Some of them acted aggressively but we managed to detain them,” he told a media conference at the Kuantan Fisheries Jetty here today.
He said the total value of the seizure, including the vessels and the communication and nagivation equipment, was estimated at RM300,000.
All the 12 Vietnamese involved have been remanded for 10 days from yesterday to assist in the investigation under Sections 15 (1) (a) and 16 (3) of the Fisheries Act 1985. ― Bernama
