Malaysia: Fish net size stays

Koi Kye Lee and Balqis Lim New Straits Times 4 Nov 13;

REGULATION: Fishermen given notice of ruling 3 months earlier

PUTRAJAYA: THE ruling requiring fishermen to use fishing nets with mesh size bigger than 38mm stays.

Agriculture and Agro-based Industry Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob said the regulation, which was enforced on Friday, was to protect marine resources, not spoil the livelihood of trawler fishermen.

He was commenting on groups of fishermen in Selangor, Perak and Penang who were refusing to go out to sea in protest of the regulation's enforcement.

Ismail said the fishermen, who collectively own some 400 boats, could carry on with their protest as the Fisheries Department and Malaysian Fisheries Development Authority (LKIM) had given them a heads up on the ruling three months earlier.

"They know that the regulation has always been part of the Fisheries Act 1985. They know why it must be enforced. We will not withdraw this stance."

Ismail said fishermen who had been using nets with meshes smaller than 38mm were hauling in a lot of fry which could affect the country's fish supply in the future .

"These fry cannot be sold at markets and end up being used as fertiliser. Malaysia is only following the footsteps of other countries, including Thailand, Indonesia and Vietnam, which had already enforced a similar ruling."

He added that only 10 per cent of fishermen were using nets with mesh smaller than 38mm.
LKIM chairman Datuk Irmohizam Ibrahim said the ongoing protests by fishermen in the three states had not caused a dip in the country's fish supply.

"The new ruling was to ensure sustainability of marine life, and these fishermen should be more responsible and aware that their action would cost the country and the people dearly in the long run."

Irmohizam said the fishermen had ample time to prepare themselves for the enforcement of the ruling. He said LKIM would not hesitate to engage new fishermen and import more fish should the need arise.

"There is no reason to worry about supply as we have more than 90,000 fishermen."

The regulation has existed since 1967, but it has not been implemented due to opposition from fishermen. Additional reporting by Phuah Ken Lin