According to the Daily Express, Mohd Yusoff stressed that the current law, which carried a maximum jail term of two years or a fine of up to RM20,000, was “not strong enough”.

“We can catch those with bombed fish, but for us to charge them in court would not be easy because the existing law only applies to those who are actually caught fish-bombing or are aware that the fish were caught through fish-bombing activities. Those with bombed fish can get away easily by denying any knowledge of the fish being caught through fish-bombing,” he said.

Mohd Yusoff said 150 fish bomb cases were brought to court last year, with a majority of the offenders being foreigners.

“We want stricter laws to be imposed not only on those caught fish-bombing, but also on those found with bombed fish. We hope the law can be amended and enforced by this year,” he said.

Meanwhile, Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) Regional Operation director First Admiral (Maritime) Adam Aziz said the agency had recorded 47 arrests since the beginning of January.

He said fish-bombing activities within offshore oil platforms could pose a danger to fishermen and increase the possibility of oil rigs exploding.

“We have conducted various programmes, such as Sahabat Maritime, to engage the maritime community into being our eyes and ears to address the issue,” he said.

Last December, a boy was killed and four others injured when a homemade fish bomb exploded in a house at a water village squatter settlement in Kg Hidayat, in Semporna.

It was reported that intrusions by fishing boats into the 500-metre safety radius within Petronas’ off-shore oil platforms in the country had reached alarming levels.