1,029 artificial concrete reefs in Sabah waters
PUTATAN: Sabah now has 1,029 units of artificial concrete reefs located at various sites of the state waters.
The cost of installing the artificial reefs was RM12 million and involved 120 fishermen’s villages, said Agriculture and Food Industry Minister Datuk Seri Panglima Yahya Hussin yesterday.
Yahya also informed that artificial reefs would be installed at Kampung Shahbandar in Tuaran, Kg Pantai Emas in Kota Belud, Kg Pasir Putih (Putatan), Kg Sangkabok (Kuala Penyu) and Kg Kuala Mengalong (Sipitang).
And in October this year, artificial reefs would be installed at five more sites, he said.
Yahya who was at a ceremony involving the fishing community at Dewan Sri Putatan, also said the government began implementing the artificial reef programme as one of its efforts to manage fisheries resources.
He said the objectives were to help raise marine catch and increase the income of traditional fishermen.
“Studies have found that the gross income of a coastal fisherman increases up to RM40.67 per trip per day as a result of the artificial reef. This signifies a hike of 50 percent in income,” he said.
At the same time, the existence of the artificial concrete reefs also stops trawlers from fishing at areas where the traditional fishermen fished, he added.
The artificial reefs also add to the marine habitat along the coastal zone and help to restore fisheries resources at the area.
Yahya added that the artificial reefs also acted as tourist attractions and activities that could be carried out included fishing and scuba diving.
In his speech, Yahya also said the Malaysia Fisheries Development Authority had distributed an allowance of RM300 per month to 17,374 fishermen in Sabah per annum.
“The government, through the Authority, spends RM62,546,400 for this purpose alone,” he said.