Decades-old issue of fish bombing could become a thing of the past, as enforcement efforts transition towards full digitalisation and the use of marine forensic techniques for more efficient detection and prevention.

Five men were arrested for fishing using explosives off Mengalum island, some 56km northwest of the Sabah capital.

Sabah will consider reviving a special committee that looks into curbing fish-bombing, which continues to be a challenge for state authorities.

Around 134kg of fish, believed to have been caught using explosives, was seized from a market in Sabah’s Kunak district during a three-day operation.

More serious action is needed to tackle fish bombing in Sabah Semporna, says state Tourism, Culture and Environment minister Datuk Christina Liew.

Two men were nabbed for suspected fish bombing and spearfishing activities in waters off Pulau Sepanggar near here.

Nine enforcement agency officials have been arrested by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) on Monday (Sept 11) over allegedly soliciting and accepting bribes from fishing vessel owners and runners from 2018 to 2021.

An initiative called "Fish Bomb-Free Sabah" will see the two non-governmental organisations – Blu Hope and Stop Fish Bombing Malaysia – collaborating with state Agriculture, Fisheries and Food Industry Ministry (Maffi) in efforts to conserve marine ecosystems in Sabah.

Two fish bombers managed to get away from enforcement authorities by jumping into the sea in Sabah's northern Kudat district.

The Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) has seized an abandoned sampan with seven fish bombs in Sabah's northern waters near Pulau Banggi off Kudat.