The Muar-Batu Pahat Fishermen’s Association is appealing to the government of the Malaysian state of Johor for financial assistance to purchase new nets.
Association president Ser Boon Huat said about 100 fishermen had asked Menteri Besar Datuk Abdul Ghani Othman since 2007 to reduce their financial burden.
He said many of the fishermen claimed that their nets had been damaged or gone missing due to the activities of sand-laden tugboats off the coast here.
Ser said the situation is compounded by dwindling catch, which they said had reduced by more than 50 per cent since five years ago.
This has made it even more difficult for the fishermen to buy new nets.
“As such, some of them have abandoned fishing. This has affected the country’s economy,” he told said at the Parit Jawa fishing village here recently.
Meanwhile, fisherman See Kim San, 66, claimed that 22 nets worth RM33,000 were damaged after a tugboat passed by his fishing boat on Feb 12.
The incident occurred at Tanjong Tohor, about eight nautical miles off Bagan, Batu Pahat.
Fisherman Abdul Kadir Sukiman, 58, said eight of his 45 nets worth about RM12,000 lowered at sea went missing recently.
2011 The New Straits Times Press (Malaysia) Berhad