GEORGE TOWN: Maritime authorities here have detained five Indonesian fishermen, including two teens, for encroaching into Penang waters yesterday.
In the 12.45pm swoop, the foreign boat was spotted fishing in Malaysian waters some 40 nautical miles southwest of Penang Island.
Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) Penang Maritime District 2 director First Adm Kamaruszaman Abu Hassan said their 100kg catch was also seized.
“A skipper and four crew members aged between 16 and 26 were detained.
“They did not have valid identification and have been brought to the Batu Maung shipyard to be investigated,” he said in a statement today.
Kamaruszaman said to date, 11 illegal Indonesian fishermen’s boats were caught encroaching into Penang waters this year.
He urged those who spotted illegal fishing and encroachment to dial 999 or contact the MMEA operations centre hotline at 04-2626-146.