Terengganu Fisheries Dept seizes fish traps, ray nets in marine parks

KUALA TERENGGANU: The Terengganu Fisheries Department has seized several units of fish traps as well as ray nets (pukat pari), in an operation carried out around Pulau Kapas and Pulau Redang Marine Parks, yesterday.

Its director, Ruzaidi Mamat said a total of 25 enforcement personnel were involved in the three-hour operation carried out by the department's Marine Parks and Resource Management division.

"We managed to detect six fish traps and ray nets about 0.4 nautical miles from Pulau Kapas while two more fish traps were detected about 0.4 nautical miles from Pulau Redang.

"The use of fish traps and ray nets is an offence under Section 43 (1) (a) of the Fisheries Act 1985 for catching fish or attempting to catch fish in the marine park areas. The owners of these traps have yet to be identified," he told Bernama today.

The use of fish traps and ray nets is prohibited at the marine park areas as it can affect the marine resource ecosystem and also threaten the safety of turtles that are at risk of being trapped in the nets.

Ruzaidi said the operation was also a follow-up to a report received by his department recently on the death of a female green turtle, believed to have been killed by irresponsible parties to steal her eggs in the waters of Pulau Kapas.

On May 26, Bernama reported the discovery of the carcass of a female green turtle found floating with slash marks on the neck and lower part of the body.

-- BERNAMA