JOHOR BARU: A healthy river with an abundant fish population not only brings better income for inland fishermen, it even attracts tourists and creates economic opportunities for local communities, says the Johor Fisheries Department.
Last year alone, the department released more than 3.32 million freshwater fish and giant freshwater prawns into rivers and public freshwater bodies across the state under its Fish Seed Release Programme – a feat that also earned a spot in the Malaysia Book of Records.
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Johor Fisheries Department director Rosmawati Ghazali said the programme has been scaled up significantly over the years, with 240,000 fish released in 2021, followed by 645,000 in 2022, 720,000 in 2023 and 1.132 million in 2024.
“Last year, we carried out the fish release programme in every district and released 1.62 million fish and prawns during that event alone, bringing the total for the year to 3.32 million,” she said in an interview.
Rosmawati said the programme serves two key purposes, which is to restore declining native fish populations and improve the livelihoods of inland fishermen.
Among the native freshwater species found in Malaysian waters are ikan lampam, baung, kelah, terbul, belida and giant freshwater prawns, she said.
“Replenishing these species helps offset losses caused by overfishing, pollution and habitat destruction due to unplanned and planned development,” she said.
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Besides that, Rosmawati said the department is battling invasive species that threaten local ecosystems as many non-native fish species ended up in rivers after being released by the public.
These often involve cheap and easily available species such as tilapia and catfish.
She said these species reproduce quickly, adapt easily to poor water conditions and can become dominant predators that wipe out local fish populations.
To tackle the issue, the department regularly organises fishing competitions aimed at removing invasive species.
Rosmawati added that rivers with a healthy native fish population can generate wider economic spillover effects, including eco-tourism activities such as recreational fishing, river cruises and small businesses catering to visitors.
One restaurant in Sungai Tekam in Pahang was one such example, she said.
“The department, under our myKomuniti Perikanan programme, worked with the local community to develop a recreational attraction that includes a thriving eatery which serves freshwater fish dishes like ikan patin masak lemak.
“It all comes back to protecting our rivers. When ecosystems remain balanced, everyone benefits,” she said.
