WESTON: Local fishermen and anglers have voiced their concern about the use of poisoning and electrocution to catch seafood, including prawns and lobsters, from rivers around the town.
A local fisherman, Tamam Tahir, told the Daily Express that some quarters used these questionable methods to increase their catch, disregarding the impact on the local marine life.
“Fish, sea snails and clams in their formative stages wind up dying before they can reach maturity because of these indiscriminate techniques,” he said.
“Those, who poison and electrify the waters, usually do this under the cover of darkness.”
He said they could be setting a negative precedent for others to follow by their actions.
Lobsters caught from the many rivers around the town.
“Some may give up using nets, fishing rods and traps and turn to these illegal methods just to boost their catch.”
He said these goings-on had stirred the anger of many among the fishing community who had been coming to Weston to engage in their past-time.
Tahir called on the local fishing community to work together to preserve the traditional methods for the benefit of future generations.
“Anyone who witnesses an electrical charge or poisons being used to fish from the rivers should capture these actions on their handphones and turn over the footage to the relevant authority,” he said.
Tahir urged the Fisheries Department to crackdown on these goings-on before the situation got out of hand.
