Vietnamese fishermen were captured on April 17 accused of illegal fishing in Malaysia (Photo: New Straits Times)Kuala Lumpur (VNA) – The Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) captured a Vietnamese fishing vessel with 14 crew members on April 17 accused of illegally fishing in waters off Tok Bali, Kelantan state.
The vessel was detained by a MMEA patrol boat while fishing illegally about 75.6 nautical miles off the beach at 22:20, the New Straits Times quoted MMEA District 10 maritime director Nurul Hizam Zakaria as saying.
The agency seized one ton of fish and the boat valued at 2 million ringgits (510,000 USD), Nurul Hizam Zakaria told a press conference in Pasir Putih, adding that the skipper failed to produce valid documents.
The fishermen, aged from 23-58, will be remanded for 14 days beginning from April 18 for further investigation, he said.
Earlier, another Vietnamese boat with six fishermen was detained for fishing in Malaysian waters about 70 nautical miles from Kuala Kemaman.
None of the fishermen had proper documents or fishing permits.
The fishermen, from 18-50 years old, were detained while the boat and its equipment worth 200,000 ringgits (more than 51,000 USD) was confiscated.-VNA
