Malaysia: Sabah ban on destructive fishing nets hailed

New Straits Times 5 Feb 13;

KOTA KINABALU: The Sabah government supports the proposal to ban the use of pukat tunda (trawl net) and pukat buaya (crocodile net).

State Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Seri Yahya Hussin, who is also state agriculture and food industry minister, said the ministry would meet fisheries officials here to see how they could support the decision upon its implementation.

"I agree with this ban. It is something I have spoken about strongly in the past as we know it contributes to the depletion of fish resources.

"Previously, we received a lot of complaints among the traditional fishermen operating in the coastal areas that the use of these nets affected their livelihood," he said at a Chinese New Year lunch here yesterday.

Yahya said this was because both nets dragged through the ocean floor and caught everything, including small fish, and were being used near beaches instead of just at deep sea.

On Sunday, Deputy Agriculture and Agro-based Industry Minister Datuk Mohd Johari Baharum had said in Alor Star that these two methods had been identified as dangerous techniques that had detrimental effects to marine life, adding that ministry was waiting for the right time to issue notice of the ban.

Johari had also stated that those who did not adhere to the ban once it was made effective would have their nets and boats seized by agencies under the ministry.

Yahya said the use of such nets had reduced as artificial reefs had been set up along coastal waters.

"The fishermen who still use the trawl or crocodile nets stay clear from these artificial reefs for fear of their nets getting entangled."

On another matter, Yahya said the two deaths caused by the consumption of toxic sea cucumber was an isolated incident.

He was commenting on the incident where two men, aged 51 and 54, had died on Thursday at Queen Elizabeth Hospital here after having eating a poisonous species of sea cucumber, known locally as pelanduk laut, at Kampung Suangpai in Kudat.

He advised that it was better to avoid eating anything that seemed "strange" or "new".

Ban on 'pukat tunda', 'pukat buaya' this year
New Straits Times 5 Feb 13;

ALOR STAR: Fishermen will be banned from using pukat tunda (trawl net) and pukat buaya (crocodile net) soon.

Deputy Agriculture and Agro-based Industry Minister Datuk Mohd Johari Baharom said the two methods had been identified as dangerous techniques that would have a detrimental effect on marine life.

He said the ban would be imposed this year to preserve marine life and prevent a shortage of fish.

"Checks show the use of pukat tunda and pukat buaya has a negative impact on the ecosystem," he said after presenting new boat licences to 240 fishermen in Kuala Kedah near here yesterday.

"If both these fishing nets continue to be used, the fish population would decline and affect the livelihood of fishermen."

Johari said fishermen who did not adhere to the ban would have their nets and boats seized by agencies under the ministry.

On another matter, Johari said the ministry would revoke boat licences of fishermen caught selling government-subsidised petrol.

"The subsidised petrol is a government initiative to minimise operating costs of fishermen.

"However, we have found that some of them have abused this by selling it to others for quick money."