A rare Irrawaddy dolphin, classified as endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), was tragically found dead after getting entangled in an illegal ray fishing net, known locally as “pukat pari“, left behind by fishermen in the waters off Kuala Kedah yesterday (21 June).
The carcass of the endangered marine animal was found by a Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) patrol team at around 11am yesterday, approximately 1.1 nautical miles from the Kuala Kedah estuary.
A rare Irrawaddy dolphin was found dead in Kedah after getting tangled in an illegal ray fishing net
Kuala Kedah Maritime Zone director commander Noor Azreyanti Ishak was quoted by BERNAMA as saying that the discovery was made following the seizure of a RM2,000 ray net, which is prohibited under the Fisheries Act 1985 due to its non-selective nature.
She added,
“The net not only traps stingrays and juvenile fish but also poses a serious threat to protected marine species,”
Noor Azreyanti stressed that the loss of even a single Irrawaddy dolphin poses a major impact on the ecosystem, given its critically low population and elusive nature.
The Irrawaddy dolphin, or Orcaella brevirostris, known locally in Malaysia as “empesut“, is becoming increasingly rare in Southeast Asia, including in Malaysia.
