Two fishermen based in Parit Jawa, in Muar District in the Malaysian State of Johor, recently lost RM13,000 (US$4,198) worth of fishing nets in the Straits of Malacca.
Each victim lost 10 nets at different locations.
The fishermen alleged that the nets were damaged by the propellers of illegal trawling boats operating in the areas.
Both heard the drone of engines but they could not see the boats in the morning darkness. The boats were also unlit.
The first incident occurred at four nautical miles off the coast of Parit Jawa, where Tan Chung Guang, 44, lost RM10,000 when 10 of his nylon nets went missing.
“When I hauled up the 40 nets at 11.30am on Monday (Aug 6), 10 were missing. The nets were lowered into the sea at 8pm the night before,” he said.
On Aug 11, Lim Choon Chiang, 44, lost RM3,000 when 10 of his ordinary nets went missing.
“I lowered 200 nets at Tanjung Tohor, about 10 nautical miles off the Bagan coast at 2.30am on Aug 10. When I hauled them up at 7am the next morning, l found the 10 nets missing,” he related.
Tan and Lim lodged separate reports at the Parit Jawa police station recently.
Muar-Batu Pahat Fishermen’s Association president Ser Boon Huat yesterday appealed to the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency, State Fisheries Department and relevant authorities to intensify patrols in the Straits of Malacca to stop illegal trawling boats from encroaching into Muar waters.
2011 The New Straits Times Press (Malaysia) Berhad