And it is not fishery alone that is hurt. At breakneck speed, these boats sweep the water, the giant waves they leave in their wake have caused massive erosion along the coastal areas on both the island and mainland regions of Penang.

Apollo boats come in twos, winching the ends of a fishing net at the rear. They travel in parallel motion with the nets parted. By the time they are done, the nets would close up, forming a rocket shape. That is why their nickname is taken from the US space programme.

At the bottom of a net are weights to allow it to sweep up as much fish as possible. In shallow water, these nets practically clear the seabed of all marine life, especially schooling fishes.

Apollo boats numbering in the hundreds are currently licensed by the fisheries department to operate off the waters of Tanjung Piandang and Kuala Kurau, two coastal fishing towns in north Perak, a stone’s throw from Penang waters.

These boats, also causing a menace in Perak’s coastal waters, have been heading north to Penang in search of more fish.

They have been blamed for the drastic drop in fish catches in much of Penang. Several fishermen say those of their colleagues who used to make more than RM100 a day have seen their incomes dwindle to RM10 to RM20. This agrees with the findings of a research that Sahabat Alam Malaysia carried out in 2019.

Over the past year, during the MCO, green groups have spotted these boats sweeping waters close to the land, which are usually plied by artisanal fishermen.

About 500 artisanal fishermen in the Seberang Perai area have seen a drastic drop in landings, leaving them broke.

A fisherman in Batu Kawan told FMT most fishermen were afraid to complain because some among them were paid by the operators to keep an eye out for enforcement. They are warned not to speak up.

According to researcher Zulkifli Yusuf, these boats would make a go for it in the early hours. As a result, half of the schooling fishes that are found on the inshore, along with prawns, anchovies and others, are gone. They are not given a chance to spawn and reproduce quickly enough to ensure supply.

“From what we have seen, most of the fishing areas in Seberang Perai are gone,” he said.

“This is a clear-cut case of encroachment as these boats go into the five nautical mile region reserved for traditional inshore fishermen. Not only are all the fish gone, but their nets and boats are also damaged as these boats cause giant waves.”

Zulkifli, a rural area officer with the Consumers Association of Penang, said the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) ought to step up its monitoring.

“It is important to guard our precious marine resources and, ultimately, our food security,” he said.

“I think these boats ought to be banned. This has been going on for over 30 years now with no change.”

He said the MMEA had carried out many raids but the boatmen were continuing to act with impunity.

Penang Fishermen’s Association chief Mahadi Md Rodzi said the Apollo boatmen would meticulously plan their attacks on Penang waters by coming in when the tide was right. He alleged that most of them were protected by gangsters.

“The only way to counter this problem is to get the operators of fish farms in the south of Seberang Perai to alert the authorities on their arrival from Perak,” he said.

“Some fishermen have complained to the authorities but they were later threatened by these boatmen. We wonder who leaked the complainants’ names.”

Former Fisheries Development Authority chairman Faiz Fadzil told FMT the previous government had asked for additional funds for the MMEA to increase surveillance in the waters. He said the additional vessels would help step up enforcement and deter the Apollo boats.

Che Ani Mat Zain, who leads Persatuan Pendidikan dan Kebajikan Jaringan Nelayan Pantai Malaysia, said it would be ideal if all trawler boats were barred from operating close to inshore areas.

A fisheries department study in 2016 showed that the peninsula’s fish levels were at critical levels, with only 4.4% of the stock left.

Che Ani said one million tonnes of carp were landed from trawler boats between 2016 and 2019.

A spokesman for the fisheries department told FMT Apollo boats could operate only between five and 12 nautical miles off the shores of Tanjung Piandang and Kuala Kurau. But he added that their encroachment into areas less than five nautical miles from the shore was rampant.