KUALA LUMPUR: The Penang state government must comply with the fisheries conservation zone in implementing the Penang South Reclamation (PSR) project, the Dewan Rakyat was told today.
Agriculture and Agro-based Industry Minister Datuk Salahuddin Ayub said this was to protect local fishermen whose harvests would be affected with the implementation of the project.
“My ministry through the Department of Fisheries has gazetted fishing zones along the coast of Pulau Betung to Teluk Bahang including up to one nautical mile beyond the coastline and the middle banks as a fisheries protected area.
He was responding to a question from Datuk Seri Reezal Merican Naina Merican (BN-Kepala Batas) who wanted to know whether the PSR project would affect local fishermen’s harvests.
Salahuddin said affected fishermen should be properly compensated due to the project
“As this is an initiative by the Penang government, my ministry is of the opinion that the fishermen’s welfare is the responsibility of the state government,” he said.
Meanwhile, Salahuddin said the project would affect 4,996 fishermen in Penang with 1,422 of them Zone A traditional fishermen.
He said an estimated 51,184 tonnes of marine catch worth RM555 million a year would be affected by the permanent destruction brought upon by the project.
“The PSR project will also affect 511 aquaculture farmers producing 45,742 tonnes of marine products valued at RM1.67 billion a year,“ he added. — Bernama
