FAKTOR-FAKTOR PENCEROBOHAN VESEL NELAYAN ASING DI PERAIRAN PANTAI BARAT SABAH

Factors of Enroachment by Foreign Fishing Vessels into Sabah’s West Coast Waters

Abstract

Sabah dikelilingi oleh tiga laut utama iaitu Laut Sulawesi, Laut Sulu dan Laut China Selatan (LCS). LCS berada di perairan pantai barat Sabah yang dikenali sebagai antara 12 tapak mega biodiversiti di dunia. Geostrategik dan kekayaan khazanah laut ini merupakan tarikan yang menjadikan perairan pantai barat Sabah rentan kepada pencerobohan nelayan asing. Rentetan itu juga, Jabatan Perikanan Sabah telah menyatakan bahawa kini terdapat 36 spesies marin yang terancam termasuklah ikan yu dan spesies ikan pari. Salah satu puncanya adalah disebabkan oleh pencerobohan nelayan asing. Selain mewujudkan persaingan sumber dengan nelayan tempatan di pantai barat Sabah, nelayan asing mengeksploitasi sumber marin menggunakan kaedah pukat tunda yang bersifat destruktif dan tidak selektif dalam kaedah penangkapan ikan. Hal ini menjejaskan ekosistem marin untuk jangka masa panjang. Sehubungan dengan itu, antara objektif artikel ini adalah bagi menerangkan mengenai faktor-faktor pencerobohan vesel nelayan asing di pantai barat Sabah. Kajian ini menggunakan pendekatan kualitatif dengan menemu bual secara mendalam informan daripada 12 penguat kuasa maritim dan 30 nelayan tempatan yang aktif menjalankan aktiviti perikanan dan mengendalikan satu temu bual kumpulan berfokus terhadap nelayan pesisir pantai Pasir Putih. Selain itu, data sekunder turut digunakan bertujuan mengukuhkan data empirikal dalam artikel ini. Dapatan awal kajian ini menunjukkan faktor pencerobohan nelayan asing adalah disebabkan negara seperti Vietnam sudah mengalami eksploitasi perikanan dan kemahiran beroperasi seperti menggunakan lesen palsu mengurangkan risiko mereka tertangkap. Hal ini seterusnya mendorong mereka untuk berani menceroboh perairan yang masih mempunyai sumber perikanan mencukupi bagi memenuhi bekalan tempatan mereka. Maritime presence yang kurang seperti penguat kuasa maritim dan nelayan tempatan di laut untuk membuat laporan dan pemantauan menyebabkan kegiatan mereka
sukar dikenal pasti. Rentetan itu, kegiatan ini telah mengganggu gugat kelangsungan hidup nelayan tempatan. Nelayan tempatan harus menambah bilangan hari penangkapan ikan daripada 7 ke 14 hari bermula pada tahun 2015 untuk mengganti modal dan memperoleh keuntungan.

Sabah is surrounded by three main seas: the Sulawesi Sea, Sulu Sea and South China Sea (LCS). The LCS is in the west coast waters of Sabah, which is known as one of the 12 mega-biodiversity sites in the world. The geostrategic and the richness of this marine treasure is an attraction that makes the west coast waters of Sabah vulnerable to the invasion of foreign fishermen. Sabah Fisheries Department has reported that there are currently 36 endangered marine species including sharks and stingrays. One of the
reasons resulting to the marine species endangerment is the encroachment by foreign fishermen. In addition to creating resource competition with local fishermen in the west coast of Sabah, the foreign fishermen exploit marine resources with destructive and non-selective trawling methods in fishing. This affects the marine ecosystem in the long run. Therefore, one of the objectives of this article is explaining the factors of the encroachment of foreign fishing vessels on the west coast waters of Sabah. This study employed a qualitative approach by conducting in-depth interviews with informants that consist of 12 maritime enforcement officers and 30 local fishermen who are actively engaged in fishing activities, and conducting a focus group interview with Pasir Putih coastal fishermen. In addition, secondary data were also used to strengthen the empirical data presented in this article. The findings show that the encroachment by foreign fishermen is due to countries (such as Vietnam) that have experienced fisheries and operational exploitation such as using fake licences to reduce their risk of being caught. This further encourages them to dare to invade on waters that still have sufficient resources to meet their local supply. The lack of maritime presence, such as maritime enforcement and local fishermen in the sea to lodge reports and monitor, makes their activities difficult to detect. As a result, these activities have disrupted the livelihood of local fishermen. Local fishermen have to increase the number of fishing days from 7 to 14 days starting in 2015 to reimburse their capital and make a profit.