PENCEROBOHAN VESSEL NELAYAN ASING DI PERAIRAN PANTAI BARAT SABAH: PENILAIAN TERHADAP CABARAN DAN KEBERKESANAN PENGUATKUASAAN MARITIM

FOREIGN FISHING VESSEL INTRUSION IN SABAH’S WEST COAST WATERS: AN ASSESSMENT OF THE CHALLENGES AND EFFECTIVENESS OF MARITIME ENFORCEMENT

Abstract

Malaysia diiktiraf dunia sebagai salah sebuah negara mega biodiversiti yang memiliki lebih kurang 449 spesies ikan air tawar dan 500 lebih spesies marin. Spesies marin yang bernilai tinggi ialah sirip ikan yu, bluefin tuna, arowana dan balat. Pencerobohan vessel nelayan asing merupakan salah satu ancaman terhadap hidupan laut yang bernilai tinggi. Gejala ini juga turut menjejaskan hasil perikanan dan pendapatan negara. Di Sabah, balat menjadi tarikan utama nelayan asing kerana harganya boleh mencecah USD3583/sekilo Negara juga mengalami kerugian dianggarkan sejumlah RM6 bilion setahun akibat pencerobohan vessel nelayan asing. Nelayan asing turut mengeksploitasi sumber laut seperti sotong dan mereka juga cenderung menggunakan peralatan penangkapan seperti pukat tunda yang menyebabkan kerosakan terumbu karang. Pencerobohan nelayan asing turut mengancam kelangsungan hidup nelayan tempatan dan keselamatan negara. Sehubungan dengan itu, antara objektif utama artikel ini adalah menjelaskan cabaran yang dihadapi oleh agensi penguat kuasa untuk menghalang pencerobohan vessel nelayan asing di perairan pantai barat Sabah. Objektif seterusnya adalah menilai keberkesanan penguatkuasaan maritim dalam usaha menghalang pencerobohan tersebut. Penilaian terhadap langkah penguatkuasaan difokuskan terhadap sistem pengawasan, pemantauan dan penguatkuasaan undang-undang. Kajian ini menggunakan pendekatan kualitatif dengan menemu bual secara mendalam informan dari agensi penguat kuasa maritim, mengendalikan Focus Group Discussion (FGD) serta menjalankan pemerhatian dengan menyertai operasi penguat kuasa maritim semasa mereka melakukan rondaan mengekang aktiviti nelayan asing di perairan pantai barat Sabah. Dapatan kajian awal menunjukkan antara langkah penguatkuasaan ialah membuat pindaan terhadap Akta Perikanan (pindaan 2019) untuk mengekang kemasukan nelayan asing. Namun, kekurangan aset merupakan cabaran utama langkah penguatkuasaan kerana menjejaskan kecekapan rondaan dan pemantauan di perairan pantai barat Sabah yang mempunyai keluasan sehingga 200 batu nautika. Pertindihan tanggungjawab antara Agensi Penguatkuasa Maritim Malaysia dan Polis Marin (APMM) juga menyukarkan pembahagian aset dan turut memberi impak terhadap keberkesanan menyekat kemasukan vessel nelayan asing.

Invasion of foreign fishing vessels is one of the threats to national security, the survival of local fishermen, protected marine life and affecting fisheries and national income. The country is suffering an estimated loss of RM6 billion a year due to the invasion of foreign fishing vessels. Malaysia is globally recognized as a mega biodiversity country with about 449 freshwater fish species and over 500 marine species. Highvalue marine species are targeted by foreign fishermen such as shark fin,
Bluefin tuna, arowana, and balat. In Sabah, balat is a major attraction for foreign fishermen as it can cost around USD3583/per kilogram. Foreign fishermen also exploit marine resources such as squid and the use of trawlers caused damage to coral reefs. In this regard, one of the main objectives of this study is to identify the challenges of preventing foreign fishing vessel intrusion in Sabah’s West Coast waters and subsequently assessing the effectiveness of maritime enforcement against such
intrusions. The assessment is focused on logistics, asset allocation, law enforcement and technology use. This study used a qualitative approach by conducting in-depth interviews with enforcement stakeholders, Focus Group Discussion (FGD) and observations by joining maritime authorities to patrol foreign fishing activities in Sabah’s West Coast waters. Preliminary findings show that one of the enforcement measures include amendment to the Fisheries Act (Amendment 2019) to curb the entry of
foreign fishermen. However, the scarcity of assets is a major challenge as it affects patrolling and monitoring activities in the 200-nautical Sabah west coast waters. The overlapping of responsibilities between the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency and the Marine Police made it difficult to allocate assets and it also had an impact on the effectiveness of restricting foreign fishing vessel entry.