Wildlife safety concerns have emerged in Singapore following an incident where a fisherman was spotted using a net in the coastal waters off Pasir Ris Park. Facebook user Mel Teo highlighted the event on July 7, bringing it to the Nature Society Singapore’s Public Forum on July 18 after her friend allegedly witnessed the deployment of a gill net.
Photographic Evidence and Wildlife Encounters
Photographs from the scene show a man with his lower half submerged along the coast, pulling a large net from the water with his arms raised. According to a post by Mel Teo, when her friend asked the individual to stop, he complied but threw an object at a passing otter out of anger. Teo questioned the legality of utilizing such nets and traps within Pasir Ris Park.
In a separate video shared by Teo on July 17, a monitor lizard became entangled in a mesh net located at the mouth of Sungei Api Api in Pasir Ris. The footage shows the lizard struggling and rocking back and forth to break free while its partner pulls and bites at the trap from the outside. Teo noted that both animals escaped only by sheer luck, emphasizing that such nets are deadly and have previously killed otters.
NParks Regulations and Environmental Impact
National Parks Board regulations prohibit net fishing in areas under their management. NParks advises against destructive fishing methods such as gill-netting, long-line fishing, and driftnets because they trap non-target creatures like sharks, turtles, and dolphins, which may drown after capture. Chia Seng Jiang, NParks group director, told Shin Min Daily News that the agency is aware of Teo’s post and encourages the public to fish responsibly in designated areas.
Chia stated that fishing nets and metal cages are illegal in parks and reserves managed by NParks. Violators face fines of up to $5,000, while illegal fishing inside nature reserves carries a maximum fine of $50,000. Furthermore, Chia warned that lost nets and traps left at sea continue to kill marine life and can damage corals and marine habitats when they sink to the seabed.
Did You Know? NParks group director Chia Seng Jiang stated that lost fishing nets and traps can sink to the seabed, where they continue to trap marine life and damage corals and marine habitats.
Frequently Asked Questions
What type of net was allegedly used at Pasir Ris Park?
According to Mel Teo’s post on the Nature Society Singapore’s Public Forum, her friend spotted a fisherman using what she identified as a gill net.
What are the penalties for illegal fishing in NParks-managed areas?
Violators using illegal fishing nets or metal cages in parks and reserves managed by NParks may face fines of up to $5,000, while those caught fishing illegally in nature reserves face a maximum fine of $50,000.
How do destructive fishing methods impact non-target animals?
NParks stated that methods like gill-netting, long-line fishing, and driftnets tend to trap non-target creatures such as dolphins, sharks, and turtles, which may drown after being caught.
What measures can visitors take to ensure local marine wildlife remains safe from abandoned fishing equipment?
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