LABUAN: The Fisheries Department has admitted that blast fishing is still going on in Labuan waters despite various efforts made to stop this illegal fishing activity.
Its director Faizal Ibrahim Suhaili said his department would leave no stone unturned to resolve the issue effectively, while collaboration with the marine police and Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency would be enhanced.
“Stopping dynamite fishing has taken on a new urgency, as this illegal fishing activity kills the entire food chain, including plankton, fish both large and small, and the juveniles that do not grow old enough to spawn,” he told reporters after the presentation of fishery aid (touchpoint) to fishermen and industry players at the Traditional Fishermen Engagement Programme here yesterday.
He said the department’s patrol boat was scheduled for completion soon and would be in full swing to conduct operations on illegal fishing activities in March.
“There have been cases handed over to us by marine police but it is difficult to charge those involved as the explosive items were not onboard the boats, unless they are caught in the act,” he said.
Faizal said a number of fish species had been sent to the lab and it was found that the fishes were caught using explosives.
“The department will also be working together with the local fishermen to monitor illegal fishing as well as intrusion by foreign trawler boats.
“We have stationed our personnel round the clock at the Labuan marine parks of Kuraman Island, Rusukan Besar and Rusukan Kecil,” he said. – Bernama
Marine researchers have warned that if current trends continue, the global supply of fish could be dramatically reduced in the coming decades.
A fish bombing fisherman who lives in a Filipino settlement here when asked on the activity, said it was the only job he knew that earned that kind of money.
“For legal net fishermen, five kilogrammes of fish is a good day but often, they come back with nothing. However, with dynamite fishing he can come back with 30 kilogrammes and sometimes as much as 50 kilogrammes, if he gets a large snapper or grouper,” the man said. – Bernama
