Located about 1 kilometer from the small fishing village of Pulau Betong, Penang, a container was converted into a lookout post many years ago by the Fisheries Dept. The purpose of this lookout post was to assist the Fisheries officers curb commercial trawlers encroaching near the shores.
Pulau Betong inshore fishermen chairman, Tan Ah Kee recalled Fisheries Dept even had a speed boat nearby to catch the "ghost" trawlers when they receive a report from the inshore fishermen.
Tan said even those days (about 20 years ago), commercial trawlers had started to encroach into their fishing grounds. He insisted Fisheries or Maritime
should use back the old container office here in Pulau Betong as a service center to cater for complaints and feedbacks from fishermen. Furthermore, their response time will definitely improve tremendously as they are nearer to the problem.
should use back the old container office here in Pulau Betong as a service center to cater for complaints and feedbacks from fishermen. Furthermore, their response time will definitely improve tremendously as they are nearer to the problem.Video by Jimmy Leow, Citizen Journalist
inshore fishermen's fishing grounds were encroached by commercial trawlers. This trawlers enter the five nautical mile radius which is illegal as far as the law is concerned, but enforcement is weak and the culprits return to the same 
grounds, taking away the livelihoods of the inshore fishermen.
to catch the commercial trawlers.