Published on: Thursday, March 29, 2007 |
Kota Kinabalu: The Sabah Anglers Association (SAA) wants the illegal Chinese fishermen who were caught poaching turtles to be jailed up to 50 years, which is just about how long a turtle takes to mature.
Its President, Datuk Wilfred Lingham, said the SAA is appalled at the 'carnage' and condemned in no uncertain terms the despicable act of these foreign fishermen.
"We urge the relevant authorities to impose the maximum penalty and sentence them to 50 years' imprisonment each to equalise the time for a turtle to reach maturity," he said.
He also claimed illegal fishermen make Labuan their port of call to re-stock and re-fuel.
"Many a time such boats were seen in our waters off Mantanani in the north and Mengalum and Layang-Layang. We hope the authorities in Labuan will take note of this and take appropriate action," he said.
Meanwhile, Lingham commended the police for their role in arresting the illegal Chinese fishermen who poached turtles.
He said association members frequently fish near Mantanani and Balambangan islands and are more than aware of the unpredictable condition of the waves and current in those parts.
"We know the difficulties the marine police went through in towing the Chinese fishing boat to Kota Kinabalu. We salute them for their commitment and determination and 'syabas' for a job well done," he said.
