The detained Malaysian fishing trawler has Vietnamese crew that raises questions among the conservationists. It is said that the trawler flying the Jalur Gemilang was detained 6km within the 46,300ha Sugud Islands Marine Conservation Area (Simca) on Nov 14 after enforcement officials found the vessel loaded with butchered sharks and stingrays that were being dried.
Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) personnel assisted by staff of Reef Guardian Sdn Bhd, a company tasked by the Sabah government to act as Simca’s conservators, hauled a 3.5km-long gill net from the trawler that had trapped numerous endangered marine creatures. After the official pulled up the net many marine animals were found dead but six of the turtles, four leopard sharks, two guitar sharks and several stingrays were found alive and were immediately released back into the sea by the wardens.
It is informed that apart from the nine Vietnamese crewmen, enforcement personnel also found documents showing that the Vietnamese fishing vessel that was leased to a Malaysian company was only allowed to operate in the west coast of Sabah. Sabah Anglers Association president Datuk Wilfred Lingham told that the fact that the fishing trawler was found operating in area adjacent to the famed Turtles Islands Marine Park off Sandakan indicated that the fishermen were targeting the marine creatures.
