DUNGUN, Sept 12 (Bernama) — The artificial reef development programme implemented in the Terengganu waters has managed to help prevent encroachment by trawler boat nets in Zone A that is five nautical miles from the coast.
State Agriculture, Food Industry, Plantations, Commodities and Rural Development Committee chairman, Dr Azman Ibrahim said as the artificial reefs placed within the distance had special features, they could cause the trawler net ropes to get stuck when the boats passed through the area.
“The damage has taught the encroachers a lesson as not to enter the area near the coast which is the source of income for the small-scale fishermen.
“I have also received feedback from fishermen on the increasing squid catch this year due to less encroachment by the illegal fishing boats.”
He said this after officiating at the programme of placing artificial reefs at the Paka waters and handing out of aid to fishermen held at the Fisheries Development Authority of Malaysia Complex, here, today.
Azman said the government’s programme of placing artificial reefs in the Terengganu waters each year had proved to be successful in increasing the fish catch of its fishermen.
He said marine fish landings in the state in the first seven months of this year amounted to 17,462 tonnes, an increase of six per cent from 16,429 tonnes in the same period last year.
“The increase is a relief for the 9,000 fishermen in the state as the marine resources are their main source of income.
“Since 2018 until 2022, we have placed 150 artificial reefs in the state’s waters at a cost of almost RM4 million to increase the seafood sources and this is a long-term effort between the state and federal governments.
“(This effort) is also aimed at tackling the issue of reduced marine resources and to improve the socio-economy of the people, particularly the fishermen’s,” he added.
On another development, Dr Azman said the state government had channelled an allocation of RM300,000 worth of equipment such as fishing nets and traps, fish finders and fish storage boxes for 367 fishermen this year.
Source: BERNAMA News Agency