THE Fisheries Department’s annual Fisheries Day in Kedah returned this year with a strong focus on innovation and sustainability in Malaysia’s seafood industry.
The three-day event, held at Pantai Merdeka by the Sungai Merbok estuary, brought together government agencies, aquaculture operators and researchers to promote modern, eco-friendly fisheries practices aligned with the National Blue Economy and National Agro-Food Policy 2021-2030.
Agriculture and Food Security Ministry deputy secretary-general (development) Datuk Luqman Ahmad launched the event.
Also present were Kedah agriculture committee chairman Dzowahir Ab Ghani and Fisheries Department director-general Datuk Adnan Hussain.
Adnan said the programme was a platform for industry players, researchers and local communities to drive innovation and resource sustainability.
“Through technologies such as SirehMax and MyFirst (Malaysia Fisheries Resource System), the department aims to transform fisheries management into a data-driven, modern and environmentally responsible sector,” he said.
During the event, five northern aquaculture companies received Malaysia Good Aquaculture Practices (myGap) certification for adopting responsible, food-safe and sustainable farming methods.
An agreement was signed between the Fisheries Department and Universiti Utara Malaysia to extend an existing memorandum of understanding until 2028, expanding joint work in capture fisheries, aquaculture health, conservation, artificial intelligence, Internet of Things, blue carbon and the blue economy.
The event also launched two home-grown innovations: SirehMax, an antimicrobial compound for fish disease control derived from betel leaves, and MyFirst, an integrated national data platform to manage biodiversity and marine protected-area information.
Aid for smallholders involved in aquaculture and agro-tourism was presented to recipients from Kedah, Perlis and Penang.
Visitors also enjoyed activities such as a fun run, traditional games, exhibitions by more than 20 government agencies and food stalls along the beach.
A crowd-pleasing highlight was a tuna roasting on a spit, nicknamed “tuna golek”, which drew long lines of curious spectators under the seaside tents.
