JOHOR BAHRU: The Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) detained six foreign fishing boats in eastern Johor waters on Saturday for entering the country's waters without permission.
Tanjung Sedili Zone MMEA director, Maritime Captain Mohd Zulfadli Nayan said the boats were detained at about 9am in the operation codenamed Op Jaksa/Op Benteng Laut after being alerted by the Johor Port Authority.
"Three of the boats were detained at 2.1 nautical miles south of Tanjung Setapa in Pengerang near Kota Tinggi, while the other three were detained at 2.3 nautical miles of the same area," he said in a statement yesterday.
Mohd Zulfadli said further investigations found that all the China-registered boats were operated by six skippers and 54 crew members of Chinese national, aged between 31 and 60.
He said they were believed to be heading for Mauritania to catch fish and were anchoring in the country's waters after some of them suffered damage, but did not have any written approval from the Malaysian Marine Department, the Fisheries Department and the Johor Port Authority.
"The six skippers have been brought to the Tanjung Sedili Maritime Zone office in Kota Tinggi for further action," said Mohd Zulfadli.
The case is being investigated under Section 16(3) of the Fisheries Act 1985 for entering Malaysian fisheries waters without notifying the authorities and Section 491B(1)(L) of the Merchant Shipping Ordinance 1952 for anchoring without permission or notifying the Marine Director.
The MMEA advised foreign fishing boat agents or managers to obtain permission from the Malaysian Fisheries Department prior to conducting any repair or refuelling. -- BERNAMA