Forced holiday for fishermen due to worsening haze

Fishermen in the Bagan Panchor coast are forced to take a break due to the worsening haze conditions in the Manjung district.

Fishermen Faizul Sofian, 42, said although there are some from the fishing community who continue to go out to sea, they have returned with a very low catch, due to poor visibility.

“When it is hazy, the haul is lower. So many of us (fishermen) are taking a break.

“Hopefully, this situation does not last very long as we depend on the sea for our livelihood. 

We would like to go out (to sea) every day if possible, but this haze is making things almost impossible to do so,” he told Bernama here today.

Another fisherman, Nazri Ahmad, 55, said going out to sea in these conditions is dangerous as poor visibility could cause boat collisions.

“It’s very hazy now at sea and this is dangerous. We have to be extra alert and cautious of nearby boats colliding into ours,” he said.

Ismail Osman Yan, 49, said he has stopped going out to sea and besides having to contend with a low haul, he was also worried that the thick haze could affect his health.

“I have to stop working for a while. During this break, I take the opportunity to repair my boat and nets. 

It's dangerous to go out to sea now as the possibility that our boats could be rammed by bigger vessels is high,” he said.

As at 2pm today, the Air Pollutant Index was at an unhealthy level of 133 in Manjung.

- Bernama