Malaysian Fishing Endangered by Anchored Ships

February 29, 2012 from Al Jazeera English

Fishermen in Malaysia say the increased presence of foreign cargo ships is destroying coral reefs at an alarming rate, causing a severe shortage of game for the locals. Shipping companies have found it to be less costly and more beneficial to keep their vessels off the country's southern coast for longer than usual in search of cargo, which has been dwindling as a result of the global economic crisis. Fishermen say many of the ships are working in prohibited zones and the growing amounts of debris deposited by the freighters are taking a dangerous toll on their livelihoods. Al Jazeera's Scott Heidler reports from Johor Bahru in Malaysia.

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Malaysia

Malaysia is a federal constitutional monarchy in Southeast Asia. It consists of thirteen states and three federal territories and has a total landmass of 329,847 square kilometres separated by the South China Sea into two similarly sized regions, Peninsular Malaysia and Malays... Explore this topic

Coral reef

Coral reefs are underwater structures made from calcium carbonate secreted by corals. Coral reefs are colonies of tiny animals found in marine waters that contain few nutrients. Most coral reefs are built from stony corals, which in turn consist of polyps that cluster in group... Explore this topic

Cargo ship

A cargo ship or freighter is any sort of ship or vessel that carries cargo, goods, and materials from one port to another. Thousands of cargo carriers ply the world's seas and oceans each year; they handle the bulk of international trade. Cargo ships are usually specially desi... Explore this topic

Johor Bahru

Johor Bahru is the capital city of Johor in southern Malaysia, north of Singapore. Johor Bahru is the southernmost city of the Eurasian mainland. Pasir Pelangi, the royal village, is located within Johor Bahru. The city in itself has a population of 1,334,188 as of 2010, while... Explore this topic

Marine conservation

Marine conservation, also known as marine resources conservation, is the protection and preservation of ecosystems in oceans and seas. Marine conservation focuses on limiting human-caused damage to marine ecosystems, and on restoring damaged marine ecosystems. Marine conservat... Explore this topic

Fisherman

A fisherman or fisher is someone who captures fish and other animals from a body of water, or gathers shellfish. Worldwide, there are about 38 million commercial and subsistence fishermen and fish farmers. The term can also be applied to recreational fishermen and may be used ... Explore this topic

Environment

Environmentalism is a broad philosophy, ideology and social movement regarding concerns for environmental conservation and improvement of the health of the environment, particularly as the measure for this health seeks to incorporate the concerns of non-human elements. Environ... Explore this topic

Al Jazeera English

Al Jazeera English is an international 24-hour English-language news and current affairs TV channel headquartered in Doha, Qatar. It is the sister channel of the Arabic-language Al Jazeera. The station broadcasts news features and analysis, documentaries, live debates, current... Explore this topic

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Malaysia

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