Ghazali (right) looking at various freshwater fish taken from Perak rivers during a working visit to Parit to check on community efforts to preserve native species and protect the ecosystem from invasive fish. – BERNAMApic
PARIT: The Perak Fisheries Department is aiming for zero presence of alien or invasive fish in the state's rivers within the next five years, following concerns over their impact on ecosystems and the survival of native species.
Perak Fisheries director Mohd Ghazali Abdul Manap said, however, that it would not be an easy task as non-indigenous fish species such as plecos (also known locally as "bandaraya fish"), tilapia, redtail catfish and Chao Phraya giant catfish have long existed in the country's waterways, especially in Perak.
