Clara Chooi, The Star 23 Oct 08;
THE Fisheries Department in Perak is constructing more artificial reefs to boost the production of fish to meet demands by the public who opted for marine-based food supply for health reasons.
Department deputy director-general Datuk Ahamad Sabki Mahmood said people were becoming more health conscious and looking for an alternative source of protein.
“People are becoming more health conscious these days and eating fish is a good, staple diet.
“We do not want this trend to deplete our fish supply and as such the construction of artificial reefs would boost marine production,” he said after witnessing the launch of the first recreational artificial reef in Sitiawan, some 90km from Ipoh on Tuesday.
Ahamad Sabki added that the department was working hard towards meeting the country’s target to produce at least two million metric tonnes of fish annually.
“Our current consumption stands at 1.2 million metric tonnes. We believe that with the construction of more artificial reefs like this one, we can boost the production and multiply the creation of more fish colonies,” he said.
He added that under the Ninth Malaysia Plan, a total of RM9.4mil had been allocated for the purpose of creating artificial reefs - recreational reefs for local fishermen and the larger “seabed” reefs to help create new colonies of fish.
“These reefs can also deter fishing trawlers from encroaching into prohibited zones and hence destroying the environment,” he said.
The prohibited zones, he said, included waters that were less than five nautical miles from the shore or marine parks.
Ahamad Sabki said that to date, the department had spent some 70% of the 9MP allocation with artificial reefs placed in Terengganu, Pahang, Labuan and now Perak.
The reefs, he said, were made of concrete tetrapods (a four-legged concrete structure) stacked upon one another that would serve as ‘homes’ to the demersal or deep-water fishes.
“They like to play around the blocks and will treat the place as their new ‘apartment’. The concrete material, though expensive, lasts very long underwater and allows encrustation of corals and minerals over time,” he said.
During the launch, the department lowered 60 units of artificial reefs into the waters of Pulau Sembilan, off Kampung Acheh in Sitiawan.
“We will also be placing 14 units of the ‘seabed’ reefs in Teluk Intan,” he said, adding that the cost for both reefs amounted to RM300,000.