Malaysia: Ships seized for illegal fishing

Jassmine Shadiqe New Straits Times 29 Apr 14;

KOTA TINGGI: Two ships seized while anchoring illegally in the Tanjung Sedili waters here in Pengerang were found with 100 to 150 tonnes of fish.

The ships were seized and its 63 crew members were detained in separate incidents on Friday and Saturday.

Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) Tanjung Sedili enforcement division chief Captain Amran Daud said the ships' captains and crew members were detained for anchoring the ships without permission and failing to settle the light dues.

He added upon checks both ships were found with fish, believed to be in violation of the Commission for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources (CCAMLR) for Illegal, Unreported, and Unregulated (IUU) fishing.

At 10.30am on Friday, MMEA enforcement officers on routine patrol found the FV Ming 5 (FV Thunder) anchoring at three nautical miles southeast of Teluk Ramunia.

The ship was seized and its crew members were detained after the captain failed to submit the relevant permits for anchoring.

Captain Amran said FV Tai San (FV Chang Bai) was seized at 8.30pm on Saturday at 2.3 nautical miles of Teluk Ramunia.

Malaysia is among the member countries of CCAMLR.

The commission is an international effort to conserve and manage shared fish stocks that threaten the sustainability of all fisheries against IUU fishing, where areas are marked under Convention Area are opened for vessel listed, allowing them to conduct commercial fishing.

Tackling seafood fraud nationally, and cracking down on illegal fishing internationally, and protecting marine resources and their habitat and also help safeguard the health of seafood consumers, and the livelihoods of coastal communities, are among the areas where the commission governs over.

In order for vessels and ships owners to participate in fishing activities inside the Convention Area, they must be issued a licence to their flagged vessels detailing the specific areas, species and time periods that fishing is authorised.

The details of these licences must be provided to the CCAMLR's secretariat. The list of licensed vessels operating in the Convention Area is made available to all countries' enforcement agencies and also the public.

"Initial investigations revealed that one of the two ships detained, had entered the Pasir Gudang Port in Johor Baru, and loaded out their cargo of fish," Amran said.

He added that the owners may also face action under the domestic IIU regulation for fishing in Malaysian waters and using the facilities at the port, complex, and jetty without permission and permits.

Read more: Ships seized for illegal fishing - Johor - New Straits Times http://www.nst.com.my/streets/johor/ships-seized-for-illegal-fishing-1.582759#ixzz30Kx8WgNN