PASIR PUTEH: The Kelantan Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) detained a tugboat and 13 Vietnamese fishermen, for illegal fishing in Malaysian waters, on Thursday.

Its director, Capt (Maritime) Syed Nor Adli Syed Ab Rahman, said that the fishermen, aged between 18 and 53, and the boat were detained at a position 125 nautical miles from Tok Bali beach at 9.41 am, after being chased for almost two hours.

“As we approached the boat, they threw ropes and nets into the sea to prevent the KM Amanah vessel from approaching them,” he told a press conference at the MMEA headquarters in Tok Bali, here today.

He added that the fishermen also poured diesel on the floor of the boat to prevent the enforcement officers from boarding their boat.

He said the fishermen were arrested after MMEA personnel climbed over the tugboat. Also seized were three tonnes of fish, fishing equipment and 5,000 litres of diesel, with a value amounting to RM1.56 million.

“For cases under the Fisheries Act 1985 a skipper or crew member can be fined a maximum of RM6 million or RM600,000 respectively, according to Section 25 (a), and the boat and fishing gear can also be forfeited to the Malaysian government,” he said. – Bernama