KUALA TERENGGANU: The latest modus operandi of foreign fishermen is to use a cargo licence as a guise for illegal fishing in the state’s waters, says the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) Terengganu director Maritime Kapt Muhammad Suffi Mohd Ramli.

       The tactic was exposed following the detention of four Vietnamese fishing boats and 46 crew members, including the skippers, on March 31.The boat was believed to be on its way from Natuna Island to Vietnam but stopped in Terengganu waters to carry out fishing activities, he said.“All of them (Vietnamese fishermen) failed to produce their identity documents and letters of permission to fish legally in the country.

       “Even the cargo licence submitted was actually still in the application process. We are investigating the matter further with the relevant agencies,” he said at the Terengganu Maritime headquarters here yesterday, Bernama reported.

       The modus operandi was to prevent their boats from being seized and avoid heavier fines.

       Muhammad Suffi said encroachment activities by Vietnamese fishermen in Terengganu waters had decreased this year.

       From January until Tuesday, only seven arrests of foreign fishing boats were made compared with 40 boats recorded for the same period last year.

       “We believe the decrease is due to stricter law enforcement by the Vietnamese government against their fishermen from encroaching (international) waters,” he said.