KOTA KINABALU: Two Filipino fishermen were detained for using lamps underwater to attract fish, an illegal means to trawl, along the coasts of Tanjung Melanim near here. The men, aged 19 and 54, were detained by the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) during a patrol operation around 4pm on Sunday. Sabah MMEA director First Admiral Mohd Khairulanuar Abd Majid @ Razali said the use of such lamps on the seabeds could destroy the marine ecosystem. “Using lamps underwater can attract fish and other marine species on an uncontrolled scale, resulting in an imbalance in the marine ecosystem,” he said, adding that this could affect ongoing conservation and rehabilitation works. “On board, we found the two crew members with suspicious documentation and discovered the illegal fishing method used,” he added.

Source: The Star January 21, 2026 06:12 UTC