Malaysia to conduct acoustic survey of fisheries resources

Dept to 'sound out' fisheries
Audrey Dermawan New Straits Times 15 Dec 10;

GEORGE TOWN: The Fisheries Department will conduct a five-year acoustic survey beginning next year to determine the amount of marine resources left in Malaysian waters.

The survey, under the 10th Malaysia Plan, covered the waters of Sabah, Sarawak and the east coast of Malaysia, Fisheries Department director-general Datuk Ahamad Sabki Mahmood said yesterday.

The last such survey was carried out more than three years ago.

"We need to conduct the study to know whether we still have enough fishery resources left to meet the demands of our people in the future.

"We don't want to come to a time where we run out of the resources. As it is, we have exploited it to the optimum."

Ahamad was here to launch the three-day international conference on underwater acoustics for sustainable fisheries in Asia.

More than 60 participants from eight countries participated in the seminar, jointly organised by the Fisheries Department and the Asian Fisheries Acoustics Society.

Ahamad said to ensure a sustainable management of the fishery resources, the department had limited the number of boats fishing in Malaysian waters in 1984.

"We are fully aware that if we do not do anything now, our future generation will be left with zero marine resources.

"The sustainability of the fishery resources as well as maintaining a pristine marine environment is the delicate foundation that underpins the sustainable of marine resources.

"Exploitation of marine resources must be supported by research, monitoring and assessment."

Ahamad said more officers in the department would be trained to use underwater acoustic devices such as echo-sounders and sonar, which were compulsory equipment on fishing vessels.

He said acoustic devices were no longer used to merely record water depth of ponds, lakes, rivers and other water bodies, but also to track migration patterns of marine fauna and most importantly, estimate fish stocks.