PASIR PUTEH: Six Vietnamese fishermen including a skipper were detained for encroaching into Malaysian waters to harvest sea cucumbers yesterday.
They were nabbed by the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA)'s patrol boat at Tok Bali beach here.
Kelantan MMEA director Captain Syed Nor Adli Syed Ab Rahman said the MMEA's patrol boat was conducting Op Gamat and Op Damai when it spotted a foreign vessel about 6.35pm.
"The fishing vessel was harvesting sea cucumbers at 55 nautical miles off the beach. It was spotted by the MMEA officers.
"Upon checking the vessel, they found six crew members who did not have any valid documents.
"The skipper also failed to produce permits to carry out fishing activities in Malaysian waters," Nor Adli said in a statement.
He said about more than 1,000 kg of fish, 500 litres of diesel and fishing equipment, all valued about RM365,000 were seized.
The crew members, all from Vietnam and aged between 32 to 52, were being held for further action.
Nor Adli said those found guilty of encroaching into Malaysian waters to fish or harvest marine resources could be fined up to RM1 million and jailed for a term of not less than two years under Section 15(1)(a) of the Fisheries Act 1985.