All trawlers should anchor at Batu Pahat's shore by 6 p.m. daily as stipulated in their licenses.
Muar-Batu Pahat Fishermen's Association president Ser Boon Huat said most boats ignored the state government directive and remained at sea at night.
He said this exposed them to the possibility of encroaching into prohibited Muar waters during the wee hours.
Ser said the state government issued 138 licences to 96 fishermen in Pontian and 43 in Batu Pahat and Kukup more than 40 years ago to operate trawlers between Batu Pahat and Kukup, beyond the 12 nautical mile limit from shore, between 6 a.m. and 6 p.m.
He said fishermen had complained that they had sighted a fleet of illegal trawling boats operating as close as three nautical miles off the Muar coast as they went out to sea at 3 a.m. daily.
