Both Sahabat Alam Malaysia (SAM) president SM Mohamed Idris and Malaysian Coastal Fishermen’s Welfare and Education Network (Jaring) vice-chairman Md Hassin Abdullah said illegal trawling is a menace to marine life. At a joint conference they said if illegal trawling go like this then the country would be severely depleted fish by 2020.
They also said that it is necessary to seize them and destroy their boats and nets. They said fishing gear is causing massive destruction to maritime lives and ecosystem, and jeopardises the sustainability of the fisheries resources in the country. As a result the livelihood of coastal fishermen also badly affected.
SAM and Jaring pointed weakness in enforcement caused the continued use of illegal nets, especially drag nets. They demanded for stern government action to strongly curb the use of the illegal nets. Currently some 700 coastal fishermen plying their trade for about 50km coastal stretch encompassing Kuala Sipetang, Tanjung Piandang, Kuala Kurau, Sungai Burung, Sungai Baru, Kuala Gula and Kuala Selinsing in Perak are severely being affected by drag net in particular.
