The Star 23 Jun 15;
IPOH: Fresh seafood supplies will dwindle if the Government bans the use of trawl nets in Zone B (between 14.8km and 28km from the shore), the fishing industry has warned.
A spokesman for the Malaysia Fish Industries General Association said since most quality seafood was sourced in Zone B, the ban would affect the supply and result in the country importing it from other countries at higher cost.
“Marine fish, especially those in Zone B, are of better quality than fish reared in cages.
“Besides fish, squid, prawns and crabs are also found in Zone B,” said Toh Sang Chai, a committee member of the association, after meeting various state fishing industry organisations here yesterday.
Agriculture and Agro-based Industries Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob announced in November last year that trawl nets would be banned from next year.
He advised fishermen to use the pukat jerut (purse seine) instead to protect the interests of inshore fishermen.
A trawl net is used to pull along the bottom of the sea to catch fish, while the purse seine is a large fishing net drawn into the shape of a bag to enclose the catch.
Toh said although fishermen had the option to upgrade their trawl nets to purse seine, it was costly.
“It costs about RM1mil to change from using trawler boats to vessels using purse seine. Who will give us the loan for it?”
“On a trawler boat, we only need three to five people but it would take up to 20 people to operate a boat using purse seine,” he added.
Toh said without the necessary equipment and financial means to change to purse seine, fishermen would be stuck with trawler boats.
“The trawlers are smaller and we cannot venture further away from shore as it can be dangerous for us.”
