Towards greater control
LKIM chief proposes dedicated taskforce to prevent intrusion into Malaysian waters
KUCHING: Malaysian Fisheries Development Authority ( LKIM) chai rman Datuk S er i Dr Irmohizam Ibrahim has suggested that a special committee be set up to coordinate and facilitate enforcement agencies in curbing encroachment into Malaysian waters by foreign fishermen.
He proposed that Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi chair the committee.
“I welcome the call by DPM ( for enforcement agencies to be more serious in curbing the encroachment of Malaysian waters by foreign fishermen),” he said during an inspection visit to LKIM Tanjung Bako Fishery Complex in Tanjung Bako here yesterday.
The creation of the special committee will send an important message to foreign fishermen that we will not compromise with their illegal activities, stealing fishery products in our waters. Datuk Seri Dr Irmohizam Ibrahim, LKIM chairman
“It showed that he is seriously concerned about the issue especially the intrusion of foreign fishermen as I am always hearing the grouses from the fishing community, notably in the east coast of the Peninsula as well as in Sabah and Sarawak,” he added.
Irmohizam was commenting on the loss of seafood worth between RM3 billion and RM6 billion annually due to illegal fishing.
Noting the multiple enforcement and government agencies involved, he pointed out the need to create a special committee using the NBOS ( National Blue Ocean Strategy) concept to serve as the central body to coordinate strategies and communications among agencies including the Royal Malaysian Navy ( RMN), Maritime Enforcement Agency ( MMEA), Fisheries Department, Immigration Department and LKIM itself.
“First, the coordination will enable better channelling of information and sharing of equipment because each agency has its own limitation,” he said.
“The creation of the special committee will send an important message to foreign fishermen that we will not compromise with their illegal activities, stealing fi shery products in our waters,” he continued.
“Secondly, the joint ef fort will demonstrate unification of agencies under one roof, by which the fishermen can also join us later,” he added.
Irmohizam expressed confidence that the upcoming Budget 2018 will touch on enhancing enforcement, which he viewed as timely for MMEA to add more assets to carry out operations in international waters in Malaysia.
“This is an important message to assure local fishermen that marine resources of Malaysia must be the resources of our economy. This is also to ensure that fish supply particularly in the country can continue to increase,” he said, adding that demand for fish in Malaysia is increasing.
According to news report, it was estimated that only about 50 per cent of seafood caught in local waters landed in the country while the rest were not reported due to leakages - foreign fishermen invading the country’s waters and local fishermen selling their catch to foreign fishermen.
KUCHING: Fishermen landing their catches at the new and modern Malaysian Fisheries Development Authority ( LKIM) Tanjung Bako Fishery Complex will be given incentives.
LKIM chairman Datuk Seri Dr Irmohizam Ibrahim said this would encourage unloading of catches at the integrated fish landing port and drive optimal utilisation of its facilities.
“For each landing of catches at the port, Class C2 (deep sea) fishing trawlers will be given incentive of 20 sen per kg while boats with Class C licence and below will be given landing incentive of 10 sen per kg,” he said.
“All along there has been no such incentives but the initiative is introduced to make LKIM Tanjung Bako Fishery Complex a central point for fish landing and encourage operators and fishermen to fully utilise this modern complex,” he added.
The complex, he assured, would be equipped with basic facilities to meet the needs of fishermen around Kuching and Tanjung Bako, including ice block factory and bunkerage (diesel and petrol refuelling station).
Irmohizam said this during a visit to inspect the LKIM Tanjung Bako Fishery Complex to ensure its smooth progress and infrastructure compliance yesterday.
“Ultimately, it will be one of the ports with facility to store frozen fresh fish stocks, a base that will guarantee the supply of this primary source of protein for the country,” he said.
Noting that the ice block factory is important to the fishermen, he urged the National Fishermen Association to speed up the construction of the facility located at phase two of the project.
“Also, the Ministry of Domestic Trade, Cooperatives and Consumerism ( KPDNKK) has approved the construction of a bunkerage for the convenience of fishermen to refuel by Sri Muara Fishermen Association,” he added.
Overall, he expressed satisfaction with the progress of the complex, which is almost fully completed.
“Sarawak is very fortunate because this port is among the biggest in Malaysia and could be the most comprehensive with modern facilities for fish processing in the Southeast Asian region,” he said.
On the way forward, he said efforts must be made to ensure the sustainability of the complex which will be managed by Sarawak Fishermen Association and jointly supervised with LKIM.
“I look forward to more discussions with the board and relevant agencies and departments to ensure the complex will not become a ‘white elephant’.
“But instead turn it into an iconic feature for Sarawak, benefitting all the local fishermen across Sarawak and enhance the fishing industry in the Southeast Asian region particularly surrounding Tanjung Bako,” he added.
Sitting on 42.5 acres of land, the RM247.8million LKIM Tanjung Bako Fishery Complex boasts some of the most modern facilities for fish processing in the nation.
The first phase consists of buildings for marketing hall, admin block, net loft, fish box storage, canteen (two blocks), fishermen market, multipurpose hall, surau and fuel farm as well as jetties for fishermen to land their catch and berthing facilities.
The second phase, of which construction is still ongoing, features seafood restaurants, hostel, shipyard and syncrolift, workshops, processing plant, whole seller market and ice block factory.
For each landing of catches at the port, Class C2 (deep sea) fishing trawlers will be given incentive of 20 sen per kg while boats with Class C licence and below will be given landing incentive of 10 sen per kg. Datuk Seri Dr Irmohizam Ibrahim, Malaysian Fisheries Development Authority chairman