Vietnamese Trawlers Breach Malaysian Waters for 5-6 Hours at Night, Threatening Blue Economy
Updated
Updated · South China Morning Post · Jun 19
Vietnamese Trawlers Breach Malaysian Waters for 5-6 Hours at Night, Threatening Blue Economy
2 articles · Updated · South China Morning Post · Jun 19
Summary
Nighttime incursions by suspected Vietnamese trawlers are exposing a weak point in Malaysia’s maritime strategy, with fishermen in Terengganu reporting vessels entering Malaysian waters after dark and leaving at dawn.
5-6 hours of lighter overnight enforcement by the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency and other authorities give the boats a window to fish illegally before patrol pressure rises.
Malaysia’s blue economy plans hinge on controlling its seas, making those incursions more than a local complaint about lost catch.
MMEA chief Rosli Abdullah said illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing threatens marine resources, the survival of local fishing communities and the sustainability of Malaysia’s marine ecosystem.