Bid to legalise prawn farming industry

THE Perak Government is considering a new policy to legalise its prawn farming industry, state executive councillor Nga Kor Ming said.

The policy, he said, could ensure that the environment and the interests of the estimated 5,000 prawn farmers in the state were being protected.

Nga said the state government was especially concerned about the encroachment of such farmers into mangrove swamp areas, particularly in the Manjung district.

“The district is the biggest prawn producer in the state with an estimated 2,500 to 3,000 farms.

“And the encroachment into mangrove swamps there is causing excessive negative impact on the environment,” said Nga, who is also state Education, Local Government, Housing and Public Transport Committee chairman.

The Pantai Remis assemblyman, who told reporters this after chairing a dialogue with Pantai Remis and Bagan Panchor fishermen yesterday, said most prawn farms in the state were operating illegally.

“Some have temporary occupational licences but even then, the permission to use the land is for other purposes and not prawn farming,” he added.

Noting that the state government would announce the new policy early next year, he said the state Land and Mines Office had been instructed to conduct a study to find out the number of farms and identify their locations.

“Part of the study is also to identify which zones are more suitable for prawn farming.

“We will also seek technical expertise and consult the Town and Country Planning Department before coming up with the policy.

“There is also a need to study the National Land Code to see if land in each specific zone can be converted for prawn farming,” he said.