BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN, Oct. 7 (Xinhua) -- Four Vietnamese fishermen were ordered to pay fines or face jail term after they pleaded guilty to illegal fishing in Brunei waters.
According to a statement from Brunei's Ministry of Defense, the fishing vessel conducting illegal fishing activities in Brunei waters about 130 nautical miles from the coast of Brunei was apprehended by the Royal Brunei Navy on Sept. 27.
The 44-year-old vessel owner was fined by Brunei's court 10,000 Brunei dollars (7,234 U.S. dollars), or ordered to serve 10 months' jail in default of payment. The other three crew men were each fined 1,000 Brunei dollars (723 U.S. dollars) or a month's jail in default of payment.
This is the second foreign fishing vessel was apprehended by the navy this year, the first being in May when 37 Vietnamese men, aged 18 to 52, were found conducting illegal fishing on a Vietnam-registered vessel within Brunei waters.
