Persatuan Nelayan Lawas
LAWAS (Apr 11,2009): Local fishermen here hope to see a much larger artificial reef for a sustainable fish breeding ground, Lawas Fishermen Association (LFA) chairman Awangku Tajudin Awangku Ibrahim said.
“There are a few small artificial reefs in the waters of Lawas which were built more than 10 years ago using concrete and old tyres, and they are gradually sinking into the muddy bottom.
“We hope the government through the Fisheries Department or the Malaysian Fisheries Development Board (LKIM) would consider building a much larger artificial reef for Lawas,” said Tajudin when met at his office here Thursday.
He pointed out that small reefs are insufficient, and only a much larger one would be a more lasting solution for breeding more fish and to provide protection for the livelihood of the local fishermen.
“The proposed reef should be a protected area where fishermen are not allowed to cast their nets so that they do not disturb or damage the reefs that provide a sanctuary and breeding ground for fish, and fishermen should only be allowed to catch fish outside of the proposed reef area,” said Tajudin, who is in the business of supplying ice and fish like ‘ikan tamban’ obtained from Kota Kinabalu to the markets here.
He estimated the cost of building the giant reef to run into millions of ringgit, but reckoned that it would be worthwhile because in the long run, it would help to create a sustainable fishing ground for the lucrative ‘ikan tahai’ cottage industry which supplies the local smoked fish to Brunei, Limbang and other parts of Sarawak.
He said local fishermen worry about dwindling catches and overfishing which caused occasional shortage of fish for the important ‘ikan tahai’ industry which depended on supplies from Sabah during off peak seasons.
He highlighted the problem faced by local fishermen in having such a small and limited fishing ground in Teluk Brunei which is bordered by Brunei, Labuan and Sabah.
In view of the situation, local fishermen could only use small fishing boats or sampans for coastal fishing, and have to be very careful not to encroach into nearby foreign waters where if they were to be caught, they might face fines ranging from RM1,000 to RM20,000 depending on which side of the waters they entered.
Meanwhile, a member of the board of directors in LFA, Mohd Said Abu Bakar hoped the government would continue to maintain the RM200 subsistence allowance and the petrol subsidy which had been very helpful in alleviating the difficulties of the fishermen.
Only registered fishermen with the fisherman’s card issued by the relevant authorities are qualified for the financial assistance.
“We (local fishermen) are very grateful to the government for the assistance and we will always support the government,” Said said.
LFA currently has about 1,000 members, and Tajudin is happy to note that about 700 of them now have the petrol subsidy card.
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