Johor agriculture, agro-based industry and rural development committee chairman Datuk Zahari Sarip (right) and Teoh (left) holding baby ‘ikan siakap’ released at Straits of Johor near Gelang Patah.
ALL Johoreans can play their part to make the state into the nation’s food basket and to ensure food security.
The breeding and hatchery of marine animals can have a two-fold effect; not only for consumption but also increase the population to ensure survival of several species.
Politician turned environmental activist Datuk Jason Teoh Sew Hock initiated the ‘Wild Release Programme’ in 2021 to help protect marine resources
“I noticed that over the years, some of the fishermen’s catches in Gelang Patah had started to dwindle.
Some small-scale fish farmers are running their businesses from home.
“My family was running a fish breeding and hatchery business for decades but it closed down.
“We decided to revive the breeding and hatchery programme three years ago, but the focus is no longer on selling the fish fry but to release it into the wild,” he said.
Last year, he had managed to release 46,200 fish fry to the ocean around Pendas Laut, comprising ikan siakap, ikan merah and ikan sengarat.
“Some of the eggs are from our breeding ponds, and some are bought from a local fish farm.
“We then hatch and release into the wild after the fish is about three months old.
“We also sell the mature fish to a fish farm in Kukup, Pontian, to cover the cost of operation,” said Teoh, adding that some of the fish is also given away free to farmers.
Teoh has turned a defunct family business into an opportunity to do good.
“I hope that with this, I can give back to nature and help our local fishermen survive.
“To date, we have released 117,350 fish since 2021,” he added.High demand for fish
Gemilang Aqua Enterprise owner Muhammad Azimuddin Anwar Amir Hamzah said that he decided to venture into the breeding business due to the high demand for freshwater fish.
“I see this as one way to protect local fish varities; breeding local fish also prevents the entry of foreign fish into our market, especially from Thailand and Indonesia.
“I believed that if we want to strengthen our food security, we should start by ensuring our fish species thrive.
“Foreign species have the potential to carry diseases that could affect our local varieties,” he said.
Azimuddin showing ‘ikan sebarau’ from his farm.
He started his business in 2018 in Kulai by breeding freshwater fish for its eggs and selling the fry after it about reached 4 inches or slightly over 10cm.
“The fish can also be sold once it reaches a weight of between 400g and 1kg,” he said, adding that highest demand is for ikan talapia, ikan baung, and ikan krai kunyit.
Beside these three, Muhammad Azimuddin added that his fish farm has also been breeding ikan patin, ikan lampam, ikan sebarau, ikan terbul and ikan kelah merah.
SR Agro Farm owner Shahrizan Rosdi said there has been an increase in people venturing into fish breeding for side income over the past few years.
“I have been sending some of the fish I have bred to small-scale farmers who run their business from home.
“Any business that involves water will have its own challenges, especially in setting the water temperature and checking the quality,” he said.
He has been breeding three main species since he started his business in 2016, namely ikan siakap, udang galah, and udang putih.
Shahrizan is producing between 80,000 and 100,000 siakap fry each month.
He also breeds ikan siakap merah and ikan kerapu“Every month I would be able to produce between 80,000 and 100,000 ikan siakap fry that is sold to other fish breeders in Johor and Penang,” he said, adding that each baby fish is sold for 80sen.
Shahrizan shared that his interest in farming started with his hobby of collecting ornamental fish, where he befriended people with expertise in the trade.“I started breeding ikan siakap, udang galah and udang putih) by purchasing the eggs from other hatcheries.
“From there, I learned how to breed my own eggs and gradually grow my own hatchery business.
Kerapu is a fish species in high demand from seafood restaurants.
“I find that hatching eggs is easier and less risky compared to growing fish to maturity.
“The market for fish hatcheries is actually quite big,” he said, adding his farm in Benut, Pontian, has been supplying eggs to farms throughout the peninsula.
Fish farming presents an opportunity for fishermen to diversify their income streams and reduce their dependence on unpredictable wild catches, Shahrizan added.
