SUNGAI PETANI: The government is stepping up efforts to draw more fishermen to venture into aquaculture, which can both liberate them from poverty and boost the domestic seafood supply.
Malaysian Fisheries Development Authority (LKIM) chairman Muhammad Faiz Fadzil said the initiative aligns with the government's aim for the aquaculture industry to contribute some 40 per cent of the national fish supply by 2030.
"For instance, in the Pantai Merdeka area under the Tanjung Dawai Fishermen's Association (PNK), we have approximately 1,000 registered fishermen. We are encouraging smart partnerships with the private sector.
"The association can identify fishermen willing to venture into this field, and we will select them to participate in aquaculture projects here to enhance their income," he said after visiting a smart aquaculture farming project for white shrimp in Pantai Merdeka here.
Faiz said the initiative is also part of the government's approach to stabilising seafood prices.
He added that the project will be expanded nationwide on LKIM-owned sites, such as in Bukit Malut in Langkawi, Badong in Pahang, Setiu in Terengganu, and other locations.
"I am confident that if fishermen venture into the project, they can earn more than double their current income. The availability of marine resources is unpredictable, often influenced by weather conditions and resource sufficiency at any given time.
"With aquaculture projects, which are systematic and ensure guaranteed yields, production can occur on a set schedule. For example, shrimp can be harvested four times a year.
"This effort will help to liberate fishermen from poverty, provided they are willing to participate," he said.
LKIM in a statement said the farming of Vannamei shrimp in Pantai Merdeka, also known as Pacific White Shrimp or King Prawn, employs a sustainable smart system known as Sustainable Smart Aqua Farming Systems (SAFS), operated by a private company on LKIM-owned land.
Through the SAFS group farming approach, investors and stakeholders can reduce disease risks, lower mortality rates to five per cent, and achieve four harvest cycles annually.
"This ensures higher production and faster returns on investment, expected within two years of operation.
"The concept also maximises land use by constructing high-density polyethylene (HDPE) tanks on the soil surface, reducing the risk of soil damage for future land use compared to traditional shrimp farming methods," the statement added.