TAIPING: PRAWN farming near Kuala Gula may be one of the reasons for the depletion of marine life in northern Perak waters since early this year.
Villagers alleged that the 800ha prawn farm was the source of the pollution that had contaminated the water and killed marine life, including cockles.
Kampung Tersusun Kuala Gula village chief Mohd Salleh Kamarudin told the New Straits Times that the problem started when the prawn farming project by a Federal Government agency began operations in August 2012.
“We do not know what is happening at the farm. The operator promised fishermen that they would share profits from the project’s proceeds.
“However, we have received nothing,” said Salleh, who took the NST team to near the farm and the areas affected by the pollution.
He said more than 70 fishermen were facing financial problems because of poor catch.
“We could earn at least RM200 daily before but now it is less than RM50. Although the government is subsidising the fuel, it is hard to catch fish and other seafood,” said Salleh, a fisherman for more than 25 years.
He said the fishermen were also told that the marine life in the area, especially cockles, was contaminated with ammonia.
“The authorities have yet to identify the source of ammonia but we think it originates from the prawn farm, which produces a strong rancid smell.
“Before the project started, there was no weird smell in the area.”
Another fisherman, Zainal Abidin Zainon, 38, said the farm was guarded by security personnel.
“There was one incident when my friend and I were warned by the guards when we went near the farm. They ordered us to leave and we were shocked by the directive.”
Checks found that Sungai Menerus’s riverbanks were cleared while its frothing water had an overpowering smell.
On the way back to the Kuala Gula jetty, the NST team also witnessed thousands of cockle shells on the riverbanks.
Another fisherman, Rosdi Che Ros, 45, said he could no longer feed his family because of the low catch.
“This problem has been going on for seven months. How can I support my family without a stable income?” said Rosdi.
He said he hoped the authorities could stop the public from eating the cockles if it was true that they were contaminated with ammonia.
State Fisheries director Dr Bah Piyan Tan refuted the allegation that the prawn farm was the source of the ammonia.
He said the case was being investigated and similar problems had occurred in Selangor, Penang and Johor.
“We need to wait for the researchers to complete their investigation, and the results will be out only after the cockle management committee meeting holds its
second meeting this month,” said Bah. He said the prawn farm in Kuala Gula did not have any effect on the marine life, and the am-
monia contamination also existed
in other states without such projects.