Live banned fish species at Penang aquarium

GEORGE TOWN: Those who want to know what fish they cannot import can refer to a 20-tonne fish tank at the Aquarium Tunku Abdul Rahman (AkuTAR) in Batu Maung.
The Fisheries Research Institute, which runs the aquarium, keeps fish which are forbidden from being imported to the country in the RM136,000 tank.
Fisheries Department director-general, Datuk Ismail Abu Hassan, said there were six species of fish now – Alligator Fish, Red Claw, Sturgeon, Peacock Bass, Mylossoma and Plaractus – in the tank and more will be added soon.
He said these species were not allowed to be brought in under the Fishing Regulations (Prohibited Imports for Fish and Others) 1990 under the ambit of the Fisheries Act 1985.
The tank was set up to raise awareness and educate the public on foreign invasive species which could threaten the local ecological balance.
"Such fish, when released in Malaysian rivers or ponds, can spread non-native disease that can be difficult to treat," said Ismail.
"Furthermore, aggressive foreign fish species could eat local fishes and decimate the local population and lead to an imbalanced biodiversity."
Ismail also urged the public and other private or public aquarium owners who reared forbidden species to report to the department.
He said owners have to apply for the relevant permits to sell, keep or to import such fishes.
"Those who fail to do so can be liable to a RM1,000 fine or a year in jail or both," he said.
Those who legally imported such fishes to tag them with chips so they can be traced if released into the wild, he urged.