Ahmad Fairuz Othman New Straits Times 17 Aug 17;
KOTA TINGGI: The sight of thousands of fish along Pantai Mansor, Tuan Seh in Tanjung Sedili on Tuesday has created quite a stir on social media.
It has also drawn just as many people who have turned up to ‘collect’ their share of the gifts from the sea.
Fishermen in the area said ikan gelama, ikan selayang and some small-sized ikan bawal and ikan senangin were hauled in and unloaded along the beach for all to take.
They said the fishes were caught with ‘pukat tarik’ nets.
According to the fishermen, villagers in Tanjung Sedili would head to the beach whenever they were told of the latest harvest. These small fishes were considered as additional catch to the fishermen and they will distribute it for free.
Many residents said it was common for a large number of small fishes to be found nearer to the shore, this time of the year.
Sedili Area Fishermen Association chairman Abdul Majid Abdul Rahman said this is not a case of fishes being washed ashore, unlike what is being claimed on social media.
He said fishermen in the area have previously hauled between two to 10 tonnes of fish whenever the weather condition is good and the season is right.
“Such things are a norm as fishermen would throw away big amount of small fishes on the beach for villagers to take for free.
“The rumour saying the fishes were washed ashore because of tsunami is untrue,” said Majid.
Keropok maker and fisherman Abd Rahman Abdullah, 54, said he and his wife, together with two of his friends, had opted to fish out in the open sea.
“In our first attempt, we hauled up 13 ikan gelama, puput and jemedi and in our second attempt; we caught 40 ikan gelama, prawns and other fishes.
“But my third attempt in laying the net led to a very bountiful catch. It was heavy and I waited until low tide and called some other fishermen to help pull the net to shore,” said Rahman.
He unloaded his catch on the beach and asked villagers to spread the word that the fish was free for all to take.
Sedili Fisheries Development Board Complex (LKIM) manager Kaismail Kadir said the viralled photo, which shows villagers squatting down collecting the free fish, has been verified by the board as they had gone down to personally speak to one of the woman in the photo as well as Rahman.
“The waters near Tanjung Sedili are teeming with these Grade C types of fishes, including ikan gelama and ikan duri.
“It was a bountiful harvest for one fisherman that day and he invited villagers to help themselves to it,” he said.
