BALIK PULAU: Some 300 inshore fishermen are claiming that pig-farming activities in Pantai Acheh here has affected marine life and affected their livelihood.
The fishermen claimed that their income had dropped by 50 per cent after the area, which was once teeming in fishes, prawns, crabs and clams, was plagued by pollution in recent years.
At their wits' end, the fishermen sought the Consumers' Association Penang (CAP) for help.
CAP president Mohideen Abdul Kader urged the Department of Environment, the Fisheries Department, the Veterinary Services Department and the Drainage and Irrigation Department to investigate the fishermen's claims that pig-farming activities in Pantai Acheh had polluted nearby rivers and the sea.
Checks at the site showed that water discharged into Sungai Sembilang and subsequently into the sea emanated a foul stench, believed to be from swine manure from the Pantai Acheh pig farms.
Mohideen said waste from prawn-farming activities also further compounded the situation.
"These two activities have polluted the nearby river and sea, resulting in dwindling marine life and affecting the livelihood of some 300 fishermen there.
"Hundreds of hectares of mangrove forests from Kuala Jalan Baru until Pantai Acheh were also destroyed to make way for prawn farms.
"Prior to this, CAP had voiced the issue with the relevant authorities for fear of negative effects but no action has been taken to date," he said.
CAP believed that if the problem was left unresolved, it would seriously threaten the environment, marine life and livelihood of fishermen in the future.
"We hope the authorities will pay serious attention to this as the long-term effects will have negative repercussions.
"We also want the results of the probe to be made known to the public, especially the fishermen, who have been enduring a nightmare all this while," he added.
The New Straits Times reported previously that pig farms operating in Kampung Selamat, Tasek Gelugor, had been blamed for polluting the nearby Sungai Kreh for the past 40 years.
There are at least 74 pig farms in the area with more than 100,000 pigs being reared.
The Penang Drainage and Irrigation Department said Sungei Kreh remains a "Class V" dead river, which means it is heavily polluted with no water flow.