Enforcement agencies should be more serious in curbing the encroachment of Malaysian waters by foreign fishermen resulting in the loss of fishery products worth between RM3 billion to RM6 billion per year.

Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi regretted foreign fishermen still managed to encroach despite measures undertaken by the Royal Malaysian Navy (RMN), the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) and the Fisheries Department.

"I hope the Eye in The Sky (camera) programme in the Straits of Melaka, the Sulu Sea and the Sea South China would curb encroachment by foreign fishermen but it did not happen.

"Marine products are a major source of protein for our people and we try to avoid importation from other countries. The fishery products imported come from our country and this is unfair to Malaysians especially the fishermen," he told a press conference after launching the "Gelombang Nelayan Nasional (GNN) 2017" programme in Kuala Kerteh today.

Zahid urged the local fishermen to install the Automated Identification System (AIS) on their respective boats to facilitate enforcement by agencies and to defend them against cases of alleged encroachment.

"These evidences are important for international legislation to defend their rights and to curb encroachment by foreign fishermen,"

He hopes the fishermen would adhere to their respective zones as stated in their operating licences and urged deep sea fishermen to respect the rights of others by not encroaching the coastal fishing zone.

"I want the deep sea fishermen to bring the produce home instead of selling to foreigners at sea as the country will lose out," he added.

There are three fishing zones namely Zone A (1-8 nautical miles), Zone B (8 to 15 nautical miles and Zone C (deep sea).

- BERNAMA