The Asian Redtail Catfish is an invasive species in Malaysia.
PEKAN: The Fisheries Department has removed over 4.4 tonnes of non-native fish species from Malaysian waters since 2022 through 17 operations targeting invasive fish.
Its director-general Datuk Adnan Hussain said the operations were aimed at eliminating aggressive, fast-breeding foreign species that threaten local biodiversity.
He said Malaysia is home to more than 449 native freshwater fish species, including the kelah, temoleh, sebarau and river catfish, which are ecologically and economically important.
"However, invasive species such as peacock bass, African catfish, redtail catfish and the Amazon sailfin catfish or 'bandaraya fish', are now threatening the sustainability of our aquatic biodiversity," he told reporters after officiating the Invasive Fish Species Awareness programme and the "Moh! Tangkap Baung Ekor Merah" (Catch the Redtail Catfish) competition here on Saturday (May 31).
Based on recent reports, the redtail catfish population is notably high in Sungai Pahang and is also present in Sungai Perak and Sungai Selangor, indicating the species' ability to adapt easily to local aquatic environments.
He did not rule out the possibility that these invasive fish were initially brought in by aquaculture operators from neighbouring countries and later escaped into natural waterways.
Despite the ecological threat, Adnan said that the redtail catfish has commercial value due to its market price, which has encouraged some communities to catch and sell the fish.
"However, this should not lead to complacency. We need coordinated efforts to reduce the population of these invasive species, including raising public awareness about their threat to local ecosystems," he said.
Among the initiatives taken is the organisation of invasive fish-catching competitions aimed at removing these species from national waters to reduce their population and ecological impact.
During the event, the department also presented RM331,400 in Matching Grant Assistance under the Aquaculture Integration Development Programme to three main participants of the Rizqi Cluster, as well as RM66,000 in living allowance aid to 22 fishermen in the district. – Bernama
