BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN

THREE local fishermen were detained by the Royal Brunei Police Force (RBPF) for being within the range of 500m around the Champion Oilfield on Tuesday.

In accordance to ‘The Merchant Shipping (Safety Zones) Order, 1988 and Merchant Shipping (Safety Zones) (Amendment) Order, 2013’, safety zones that are prohibited to unauthorised mariners have been enacted.

The areas are Champion Shoal Oilfield, Magpie Oilfield, Fairley Oilfield, South West Ampa Oilfield, Fairley-Baram Oilfield, Gannet and 500 metres around offshore installations.

Under Section 132(6) of the Order, anyone in-charge of any ship found breaching the law shall be guilty of an offence punishable to a fine not exceeding $100,000 or a maximum jail term of 10 years or both.

The ship would also be detained.

The trio, comprising locals aged between 29 to 40, was apprehended by the Marine Police in an operation jointly conducted with the Internal Security Department (ISD) and the Fisheries Department and was detained for further investigation.

The Brunei Times