KUALA TERENGGANU, Jan 27 (NNN-Bernama):Eight Vietnamese fishermen were fined a total of RM400,000 by the Magistrate’s Court here Wednesday for illegally fishing in Malaysian waters on Jan 13

The fishermen, aged between 18 and 32, admitted committing the offence while jigging for squid at 73 nautical miles off the Kuala Terengganu coast at 6.31am.

The charge under section 15(1)(a) of the Fisheries Act 1985 carries a maximum RM1 million fine for the skipper and RM100,000 fine for the crew besides liability of a jail term not exceeding six months.

They did not pay their fines and were sent to the Ajil detention depot to serve their default sentence of five months each.

Five other fishermen, including a skipper, all aged between nine and 17, escaped punishment because they were underaged and were ordered to be deported.

Prosecuting officer from the Fisheries Department Mustafai Sulong appeared for the prosecution before magistrate Wan Nor Aklima Wan Salleh while the fishermen were unrepresented.

-NNN-BERNAMA

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