As per the report the Kedah Fisheries Department is studying the application submitted by the inshore fishermen in order to use trawl nets in Zone A area. Teo Siong Wan, Director of the Department, said that the application would be studied in detail by taking into consideration the impact of such move to the socio-economic status of traditional fishermen. He also told that the reason behind such move is that the inshore fishermen in the country are prohibited from suing trawl nets in Zone A as the nets could pose severe threats to marine life.
Near about 150 inshore fishermen were protesting the ban of suing trawl nets. They demanded the department to issue immediate licence for them to use trawl nest in Zone A to avoid being detained by the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA). Teo also told that most of the inshore fishermen in the country were issued with the licence that only allows them to use drift nets.
