'Ignored repeated warnings': Youths allegedly caught fishing illegally at Pasir Ris pond, police report lodged
Three youths were allegedly caught on CCTV illegally fishing and climbing over a fence to retrieve their catch at Pasir Ris fishing pond in the early hours of Nov 20, leading to a police report.
The incident occurred at about 3am at D'Best Fishing in Pasir Ris Town Park, which is touted on its website as "Singapore's largest 24-hour saltwater pay pond".
Mr Huang (transliterated), 41, the general manager of the fishing pond, told Shin Min Daily News that CCTV cameras installed around the pond captured the trio casting bait into the water from outside the fence after the facility had closed for the night.
"The pond closes at 6pm, and our staff cover the surface with a protective net. But they threw their bait through the gaps. After hooking fish, they climbed over the fence to grab them. They stole two to three fish in total," he claimed.
CCTV footage uploaded on the company's Facebook page shows a boy in a black T-shirt casting his line. Soon after, he catches a fish, which gets stuck beneath the net. Another boy is seen climbing over the fence, stepping on buckets to get to the net.
Lifting it, he retrieves the fish and tosses it onto the grass, while a girl in a grey shirt watches nearby.
The two boys later switched roles, with two fish placed into a plastic bag carried by the girl. The boy in the black shirt casts the line once more, waiting for a fish to bite as the clip ends.
Mr Huang told Shin Min that the pond is stocked with species such as grouper, red snapper, golden snapper, and barramundi, and that the stolen fish were worth more than $50 in total.
He added that similar incidents had happened in the past. While the operator had previously chosen not to take action due to the youths' age, their repeated actions had crossed a line, prompting him to call the police.
In response to queries from Stomp, the police confirmed that a report was lodged and investigations are ongoing.
Same group had previously stolen fish twice
Mr Huang revealed that the boys in the video were regular visitors to the pond, and staff had noticed their misbehaviour about two months ago.
"They paid to enter the catch-and-release pond but secretly took the fish home. Our supervisor felt they were young and let them off with only a verbal warning," he said.
The same group later violated the rules a second time and was reminded again. They promised not to repeat the offence.
However, their most recent transgression was captured on camera, after they had paid to fish earlier in the day but returned to steal the catch on Nov 20.
"This is already their third offence. Since they ignored repeated warnings, we had no choice but to make a police report," Mr Huang said.
Frequent rule-breaking led to installation of more CCTV cameras
Mr Huang said that since taking over operations in 2020, rules have been violated regularly — almost every one or two days. The fishing area spans about five hectares, making it difficult for staff members to monitor the area closely.
Common violations include using multiple rods at once, illegally taking fish from catch-and-release ponds, and fishing outside operating hours.
"In some areas, the fence is lower and stone blocks nearby make it easier for people to slip in when staff members aren't looking," he noted.
More than 10 CCTV cameras are currently installed around the facility, and additional cameras were added at popular fishing spots two months ago to address the frequent breaches.
Teen seen fishing in heavy rain; operator urges public not to risk their safety
Another video posted on the operator's social media page shows a youth fishing outside the fence during heavy rain. Mr Huang said the pond was closed at the time, and patrolling staff found the teen standing under a large tree, drenched and without an umbrella.
"Thankfully there was no lightning then. We really hope they will stop putting themselves in danger," he said.
