VENTURE TO AQUACULTURE INVESTMENT

MALAYSIAN FISHERMAN have been urged to venture into aquaculture because of significant drop in captured fisheries' resources which has increased demand for marine products. Government had put in place numerous conservation efforts and implemented certain policies to reduce over-fishing. Malaysia should have to move on to aquaculture. Reported in media only Penang has reached 50% aquaculture and 50% captured fisheries. As far as other states are concerned, they are way below the targeted 50% stage. They need to encourage more states to approve and take up temporary occupation licenses (TOL) for aquaculture. This is where the ministry is coming in to push more fishermen to venture into aquaculture industry. At present reported that Malaysia is one of the major producers of marine products and ranking 16th in the world in terms of fish caught from captured fisheries (1.47 million metric tonnes worth RM10.8 billion) and the 6th in Asean. Malaysia also ranks 15th and 6th in aquaculture production (427,022.66 metric tonnes worth RM3.041 billion) in the world and Asean respectively. The country's main marine commodity includes fresh and processed fish (freshwater fish 102,596.84 metric tonnes worth RM728 million), marine fish/prawn 121,460.24 metric tonnes worth RM2.268 million), seaweed products (202,965.58 metric tonnes worth RM44.7 million) and ornamental fish (281 million pieces worth RM283 million). This article in "Anim Agriculture Technology" blog I write about venture to aquaculture investment in Malaysia.

In other report shown that Penang had captured more than half of the market share in the RM3 billion aquaculture industry. In average Penang produced 47,742 metric tonnes of fishery products worth RM1.67 billion last year in which it was more than half of the country's overall total. However challenges such as Lekima typhoon which struck northern states few years ago had caused damage to the aquaculture industry with losses estimated to be over RM50 million. Some sustainable fisheries development has become increasingly important to ensure the availability of sufficient food supply at affordable prices. It is also an important generator of economic and social progress for the rural poor. In Malaysia reported various management strategies had been formulated and implemented to control fishing effort and promote sustainability and conservation of marine resources and ecosystems. To have full integration of aquatic resource management in Malaysia, the management and administration of marine parks which is one form of Marine Protected Areas (MPA) are being placed under the Department of Fisheries. To date, we have established several types of MPAs such as Marine Parks, Refugia and Conservation Zone. Other measures include restriction of fishing by licencing fishing gear and fishing vessels, identification of nursery areas that should be protected and managed to ensure the survival of juveniles of commercially important fish species, establishment of strict enforcement on regulations which address the issue of illegal fishing, rehabilitation of resources through the deployment of artificial reefs and coral rehabilitation programmes and conservation of the biodiversity of marine ecosystems. In many aspects of the fisheries industry need enhanced scientific knowledge and technological advancement to become a sustainable source of food and an income generator. In fact the proposed moving towards a sustainable future requires innovative thinking as well as global knowledge. Thanks...

By,

M Anem,

Putrajaya,

Malaysia.

(Novemver 2024).