SHAH ALAM: The Department of Fisheries (DOF) is seeking RM66.08mil under Budget 2027, to be tabled next month, to strengthen biosecurity and the sustainability of the country’s fisheries ecosystem.
Fisheries director-general Datuk Adnan Hussain said the allocation would fund part of the 41 projects worth RM126.87mil sought by the department under the Second Rolling Plan (RP2) of the 13th Malaysia Plan (13MP).
He said the request was in line with the National Agrofood Policy 2021-2030 (NAP 2.0) and National Food Security Policy 2030, which focus on strengthening food production, building sector resilience and enhancing the capacity of industry players.
"The allocation sought for 2027 is focused on targeted investments to boost the productivity and income of industry players, protect resources and ensure the stability of the country’s fish supply.
"For fishermen, the allocation is expected to support the modernisation of vessels, engines, fishing equipment, as well as navigation and safety systems,” he told Bernama recently.
Adnan said the development of artificial reefs and Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) would also be prioritised to restore habitats and fisheries resources.
"Effective deployment, maintenance and monitoring can provide protected or breeding areas for aquatic life, thereby helping to restore fish stocks.
"Enforcement also needs to be strengthened through the addition and replacement of marine assets, including the use of vessel monitoring systems, drones and remote sensing technology to curb intrusion,” he said.
He said DOF also hoped that MyFisheries Community (MyKP) would continue to be strengthened through support for equipment and technology, entrepreneurship training, as well as processing, branding and marketing activities.
For the aquaculture subsector, he said funding was needed to expand the use of technology and automation, as well as strengthen water quality management, disease control and the production of quality fish fry.
"Work to strengthen the capacity of the Perlok Aquaculture Extension Centre is also expected, particularly in the production of native fish fry, applied research and technology development for the benefit of aquaculture operators,” he said.
On addressing alien or invasive fish species, Adnan said DOF proposed strengthening population monitoring and control through appropriate approaches, including recreational fishing activities and the release of native fish species at locations based on technical assessments.
"Biosecurity, aquatic animal health and food safety are also being prioritised through enhanced diagnostic capacity, disease monitoring, early detection, as well as controls on the movement and import and export of fisheries commodities.
"This strengthening is important to protect aquaculture production while ensuring fisheries products are safe and meet international standards,” he said.
He said the Fisheries Research Institute (FRI) would continue to be strengthened to support research on fish stocks, aquaculture, biodiversity, diseases, invasive species, climate change, fisheries technology and ecosystem restoration.
"Strong data and scientific evidence are crucial to ensuring that resource management and sector development are based on accurate information,” he said.- Bernama
