MON STATE – Although licensed fishing boats in Mon State are not permitted to go fishing in the sea for three months, the Mon State Minister, Mon State Fishery Department and the navy of the terrorist junta council accepted bribes and turned a blind eye to unlicensed boats fishing, according to owners of licensed fishing boats.
Fishing is banned in Myanmar for three months from May to July but in reality, the ban only affects licensed fishing boats in Mon State while unlicensed boats are allowed to go fishing after bribing junta forces and administration teams.
“All of us with (fishing) licence cannot fish but all unlicensed boats can go out fishing. They go out after bribing the Mon State Minister, Fishery Department and the Navy. We have to pay the licence fees and all kinds of tax. So what do they mean by allowing unlicensed boats but banning licensed boats,” the owners of licensed boats told the media.
There are around 400 licensed offshore fishing boats and around 250 unlicensed boats, according to those in the business.
“I have four fishing boats, all licensed so none of those can go to sea. Illegal, unlicensed fishing boats can all go out to the sea. What we want is for ban to affect all ships. W’s (stands for ‘without license’, referring to unlicensed ships) bribe the Mon State Minister, Fishery Department and the Navy 30 lakhs each ship. It harms the licensed fishers,” explained an owner.
Most fishing boats in Mon State are said to anchor at Kyar Seik Port in Kyeikkami, Thanbyuzayat Township.