GEORGE TOWN: Apart from land reclamation, factors such as over–fishing and pollution have also contributed to a depletion of marine resources in Malaysia.
Penang state executive councillor in charge of agriculture Dr Afif Bahardin (pix) said a rising population has led to a higher demand for seafood, and that has led to over–fishing to meet the new demand.
“Putting the blame on the reclamation project alone is a one–sided portrayal of the issue. The reclamation project has become a convenient scapegoat,” he said.
Afif was commenting on the recent emergence on social media of a documentary depicting an acute shortage of fishes in the Tanjung Tokong fishing enclave. The producers of the documentary have stated that land reclamation project along the Tanjung Sri Pinang shoreline to nearby Gurney Drive are to blame for the situation.
“We cannot lay all the blame on the reclamation,” he said after attending the Fisheries Department’s Hari Raya Aidilfitri open house here.
“Even before the land reclamation work started (three years ago) the seafood resources was already depleting. The fishermen had raised their catch to meet the new demand for seafood,” he added.
Afif said the eco–system in the area has also been compromised because of a lack of replenishment despite an awareness that the resources are being depleted.
Despite the controversy, he said, the contractors responsible for the ongoing and proposed reclamation projects off Bayan Lepas have engaged the fishermen because of their affinity for the sea and its resources.
“The Penang Fishermen Association, which has about 5,000 members from four main areas, are more concerned about sustainability and conservation practices than the reclamation project,” he claimed.
Afif said Penang will lobby the federal government to revive a project to land tuna on the island. The project hit a wall after the construction of a port for tuna in Batu Maung stalled over technical issues.
With the Penang Port being certified by the Indian Ocean Tuna Commission as a zone for the landing of big fish, there is room to grow the tuna fishing industry, Afif said.
Last year, the state recorded the landing of 1,200 tonnes of tuna, the highest ever.
Penang now sees tuna arriving at its port only once a month, leaving a lot of room for growth. “There is potential for job creation too,” Afif added.
