There’s trouble on the high seas

THE report appearing in The Borneo Post several days ago, about the Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA), made interesting reading, but it was not complete.

What happened to the fish caught by the foreign fishermen in our territorial waters?

Where and to whom were they distributed? Canned, or simply dumped into the sea?

Obviously, the agency has done very well in terms of inspections and arrests of the violators of the Merchant Shipping Ordinance 1952.

Our maritime security is thus assured. The various operations had paid off.

Salute!

As a confirmed pescatarian (fish-eater, if you don’t like my Latin), I am wondering what happens to the fish caught by the foreign fishermen.

Sold to the local fishmongers, who in turn sell them to the members of the public for a profit?

If sold to the public ,where at the wet market in Sarawak can we find them?

Not at the Community Market at Stutong in Kuching, my favourite market, or at least not marked as ‘illegally-caught fish’.

As a seafood enthusiast, I’m curious to find out a bit more.

The fishermen at Kampung Goebilt whom I talked to had no clue as to what happened to the illegal ‘immigrants’ with fins and scales.

One would have expected to see statistics on the number of foreign fishermen caught fishing inside our territorial waters, and the amount of fish which these foreigners had caught.

Those 353 arrests by MMEA stated in the news report: were they all fishermen from Vietnam?

No other vessels from another foreign country or countries?

Has the MMEA the power under the existing laws to question and detain any person found acting suspiciously among the fishermen?

They could pose a security threat to our country – drug-smugglers disguised as innocent fishermen.

Is that not possible?

In this connection, I am glad that there is a move by the federal government to cause a review of the existing maritime laws to see if they are still effective instruments of national security.

I like the idea of the gap analysis.

Not many people can tell what power the maritime agency as at present constituted has over questioning suspects of drug-traffickers or spies disguised as fishermen.

The Malaysian Maritime Law Revision and Reform Committee (MMLRRC) would be the right body to look at all possibilities and come up with revised legislation, if necessary.

Last year, the MMEA had done a good job in terms of inspections and arrests of the violators of shipping laws, but is the agency equipped with the power and the authority to question suspected drug, or weapon, or liquor smugglers?

Or, worst of all in the long run, spies for a foreign power with designs on the South China Sea?

For all we know, there’s lots of non-fishy stuff going on!

It is understandable that there is a seasonal shortage of fresh marine fish in the market.

When they are available in small amounts, they cost an arm and a leg.

We in Sarawak rely almost entirely on our own offshore fishermen at this time of the year.

Most of the local fishermen do not go out to sea during the ‘landas’ (monsoon season).

The sea is rough and their boats are small.

They stay at home to mend the nets and do other chores that have been left undone.

Quality time for the family, why not?

Also, time to follow what is happening in other parts of the world and to listen to music and songs from the handphone.

What worries me stiff is that fishing in or just beyond our territorial waters has not stopped entirely even during the foul weather.

Other fishermen from foreign countries are busily exploiting our resources, which they sell elsewhere while most of our fishermen are resting at home.

Normally, the ships of our Navy do not inspect the fishing vessels unless they spot something that looks suspicious from a distance – a big gun on board.

Do our planes fly over those boats? I wonder.

During a recent dialogue conducted between the MMEA director and the local fishermen, the importance of constant communication between the department and the local fishermen was stressed.

It appeared that the duty to observe the law was more stringent on our own fishermen than on the foreigners.

Why? There is mention of the arrests of some 353 violators of the Shipping Ordinance but, again, who were these lawbreakers?

If they were the Vietnamese fishermen, has this matter been referred to the federal government for action?

The MPs from Sarawak should find out from the minister in charge of fisheries the details of arrests of the vessels caught red-handedly fishing from our Sarawak’s territorial waters.

The federal legislators should press for action by the federal government for the whole fishy business to be settled at Asean level soon!

Repeat, the Chairman of Asean must raise the issue with the Republic of Vietnam without delay.

I am thinking aloud! It’s high time that Sarawak had its own department planning and executing policies over fishing and fisheries in its territorial waters.

This may be done in the form of the delegation of powers from the federal government to the state as the fishing and fisheries are listed in the Federal Legislative List.

This provides for better protection, control and exploitation of the marine resources of the territorial waters within the boundaries of this state.

I don’t know if this idea has ever been broached to the people in authority at all, or raised in our Parliament by the MPs from Sarawak.

If they have done so, quietly behind the scene, thank you my dear YBs.

If not, it’s time you got your act together.

Many of your voters depend on the sea for a livelihood, and all of your voters depend on the fish market for their seafood supply.