FISHERY INDUSTRY LOSES US$309.59 MILLION YEARLY TO FOREIGN FISHERMEN

KUALA LUMPUR, June 28 (Bernama) -- Malaysia's fishery industry lost
around RM1 billion (US$309.59 million) annually to illegal fishing by foreign
fishermen in Malaysian waters, said Agriculture and Agro-based Industry Deputy
Minister Mohd Johari Baharom.

He said although the exact loss could not be ascertained, the amount
mentioned was based on records and observation by the Fishery Department, as
well as reports from local fishermen.

"To overcome the problem of encroachment by foreign fishermen, the
government has been intensifying sea and aerial surveillance involving various
enforcement agencies like the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency, Royal
Malaysian Navy, Royal Malaysian Air Force, police and Fishery Department," he
added in reply to a question from Ahmad Hamzah, a member of parliament in the
House of Representatives Monday.

Mohd Johari said besides joint operations four time a year involving these
agencies, the ministry also collaborated with companies operating the oil
production platforms as well as local fishermen for information on encroachment
of Malaysian waters by foreign fishermen.

To Ahmad's question on actions taken by the Department of Marine Parks to
protect gazetted islands, he said the actions included enforcement action on
fishing boats found encroaching the marine park waters and prohibiting
destructive methods of fishing.

To protect these islands, the department also carried out community
programmes such as the "Green Fins" in Pulau Payar, Kedah and forming a network
of environment-friendly scuba-diving operators and scuba divers.

Pulau Payar is one of the many islands off mainland Kedah (a northern state
in Peninsular Malaysia) in the Strait of Malacca. It is situated south of
Langkawi, a more famous archipelago. Pulau Payar's status as a marine park
offers protection for its diverse marine life. Pulau Payar is also a snorkeling
and diving site famous for its corals.


-- BERNAMA