Abstract:

International Regulations for Prevention Collisions at Sea (COLREGs) is a law set up by the International Maritime Organization (IMO) in 1972 that has set navigational rules that must be followed by ships at Sea to prevent collisions between ships. Based on data collected from the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency, a total of 1267 fishing vessel has been suspected of violating the law in the Malaysian Sea in the year 2020. The Department of Fisheries has conducted 15,060 inspections on fishing boats to check safety equipment and their activity atSea. Of that amount, 606 boats have been detected committing various offenses, including violating fishing areas that they are supposed to comply with, according to COLREGs. This thesis aims to study the level of awareness of COLREG among Malaysian fishermen. The study will be focused on fishermen from the Kuala Terengganu area. A questionnaire session will be conducted with fishermen to analyze the level of awareness. Statistical software for social sciences (SPSS) and Microsoft Excel are utilized to analyze these data. Through this study, it is anticipated that the younger generation, who are new to the science of navigation, would follow the regulations that must be observed, regardless of whether fishing boats or large vessels are involved. This study has the potential to promote awareness about the relevance of COLREG among fishermen along the Kuala Terengganu coastline and community. Despite their familiarity with the marine environment and conditions, this research suggests that fishermen follow the law.