KUALA LUMPUR: The issuance of new fishing licences to fishermen is based on a case-to-case basis after legalisation processes have been conducted, Agriculture and Food Industries Minister Datuk Seri Ronald Kiandee(pix) said.
It also takes into consideration the carrying capacity of a certain fishing area compared to existing fishery resources.
“Fishing licences for Zones A, B and C have been frozen since 1983, but Zone C2 licences are still open with a remaining 995 (licences) from the overall quota of 2,069.
“Although the issuance of new licences is frozen, it can be issued on a case-to-case basis and for the past year, 6,628 licences were issued in several zones after the legalisation process,” he said during the Ministers’ Question Time at the Dewan Rakyat here today.
He was answering a question by Kasthuriraani Patto (DAP-Batu Kawan) on efforts taken by the government to curb illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing as well as its mechanism to process fishermen’s licences that have been frozen for a long time.
On agency enforcement against encroachment by foreign fishing vessels, he said it was an ongoing process and 99 foreign fishing vessels had been detained in Malaysian waters so far this year.-Bernama