Part 8/10:

A major factor exacerbating the decline in fish stocks is illegal, unregulated, and unreported (IUU) fishing. Malaysian authorities have detained numerous foreign vessels engaging in illegal fishing activities, including Vietnamese, Thai, and other regional fishermen operating without proper authorization.

The impact of illegal fishing is severe: large-scale trawl nets used by these vessels destroy seabeds, catch juvenile fish that haven’t yet bred, and deplete local fish populations. Malaysia estimates that illegal fishing activities result in economic losses of approximately RM 4.2 to RM 6 billion annually.