Pandak (right) releasing baby ikan siakap into the sea off Gelang Patah during an event in aid of Johor fishermen. — Courtesy photo
THE fishing industry in Johor needs investors who can help upscale the sector and make it more sustainable, says an assemblyman.
Datuk Pandak Ahmad, who is Kota Iskandar assemblyman, said the industry was under threat from pollution and climate change.
“Our fishing industries are divided into Zone A (0-5 nautical miles), Zone B (5-12 nautical miles), Zone C (12-30 nautical miles), Zone C2 (30 nautical miles to the border of the open seas or exclusive economic zones), and Zone C3, which is the Indian Ocean,” he said.
“The problem we often face is that Zone A fishermen are forced to move into Zone B due to a lack of catch in their areas.
“They may not be as affected as Zone C fishermen during the monsoon season, but they are impacted by climate change and pollution, especially those who catch fish near development areas,” said Pandak when contacted.
He said more sustainable methods, such as modern fish farming, should be introduced to these fishermen.
“We can open this offer to investors looking to expand their business in Johor, especially in the fishing industry, in line with initiatives under the Johor-Singapore Special Economic Zone (JS-SEZ).”
Pandak said the introduction of modern fish farms would help turn them into the main source of income for Zone A fishermen, with shoreline fishing becoming their part-time job.
Datuk Jason Teoh Sew Hock
“This will help ‘overhaul’ our fishing industry; and we can also reduce the risk of overfishing or catching juvenile fish, which is not sustainable,” he said, adding that some shoreline fishermen had no choice but to fish in the open sea.
Environmental activist Datuk Jason Teoh Sew Hock told StarMetro that fish breeding would not be a viable option if the government did not address the main cause of fishermen’s dwindling catch, namely pollution.
“During the monsoon season or rainy days, water flowing into the river and open ocean is often polluted, which can cause oxygen levels to drop.
“When this happens, nearby fish farms face the risk of their stocks dying, causing irreparable harm to the business.
“If we are to modernise our fishing industry, it should be done on a large scale, which will need Federal Government aid or at least investors who can help introduce such development.”
Teoh said he initiated the “Wild Release Programme” in 2021, where fish fry was released back into the ocean to ensure a sustainable fishing industry.
“My target this year is to release 60,000 fish fry. As of June, we have released 42,000 fish fry from various species such as barramundi (ikan siakap) and red snapper (ikan merah).
“But again, it will be pointless if we do not address the issue of pollution,” he added.
Fisheries Development Authority of Malaysia (LKIM) Johor director Intan Suhaila Othman, when contacted by StarMetro, said all shoreline fishermen planning to go out into the open sea were reminded to always practise caution.
“They must wear or bring along a GPS tracker, in case they get into trouble,” she said.
