Perlis MMEA seizes 20 sets of "bubu naga" fish trap

KANGAR: The Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) seized 20 sets of the outlawed “bubu naga” fish traps at about 1.0 nautical miles northwest of the Sungai Kurung Tengar estuary in Kuala Perlis yesterday.

Kuala Perlis Maritime Commander Mohd Shafie Paing, in a statement today, said the fish traps were spotted by a MMEA boat which was patrolling the waters off Perlis at about 3.35 pm.

He said the fish traps, worth about RM2,400 were taken to the Kuala Perlis Maritime jetty for further action.

The owner of the fish traps can be charged under Section 11(3)(c) of the Fisheries Act 1985 for fishing using an unauthorised method, he said, adding that usage of the fish trap, which is a long segmented net, could affect the marine biodiversity as all fishes and shrimps, regardless of size, will be ensnared into the net.

“This will lead to a population decline for all species of fish, ” he said.

Mohd Shafie said in November last year, the Perlis MMEA disposed of 170 sets of “ bubu naga” fish traps, worth RM17,000, that were seized in 2019 in waters off the state.

--BERNAMA