Illustrative image (Source: AFP) Kuala Lumpur (VNA) - Malaysia has expressed desire to emulate Indonesia's radical measures against poaching to protect fishing grounds for fishermen and reduce domestic fish prices.
Malaysia’s Bernama news agency on July 28 quoted Minister of Agriculture and Agro-based Industry Ahmad Shabery Cheek as saying that Indonesia's radical measures against poaching have contributed to mitigating poaching and lowering fish prices.
However, Malaysia would not burn the seized illegal fishing vessels but would sink them to form artificial reefs to encourage fish breeding, he added.
The minister also said that Malaysia could not be the advocate for its fishermen who trespass into the waters of other countries, so Malaysian fishermen are required to use the radar system to determine their position at sea at all times.
Malaysia will not accept the excuse from arrested fishermen that the system on their boats is faulty.
Over the past two years, the Indonesian authorities have seized and burned hundreds of foreign fishing vessels that were caught poaching in the country's waters. The trespassing fishermen were prosecuted and imprisoned.-VNA
