Jabu and Nogeh (left) listen to a briefing on sample gathering methods from coastal sea bed.
KUCHING: Things are looking optimistic with regards to the state’s request for the state-of-the art fishery research vessel to conduct studies on its rich marine resources.
The state has been looking to acquire a new research vessel – as it intensifies efforts to develop its deep-sea fishing industry – since the previous research vessel, KK Manchong, was decommissioned and boarded off more than five years ago.
Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Alfred Jabu said response had been positive from Minister of Agriculture and Agro-Based Industry Datuk Seri Ahmad Shabery Cheek and Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Adenan Satem in pursuing the matter.
The new research vessel, estimated to cost around RM35 million, would be equipped with modern facilities to be used for fishery resource studies and survey on both pelagic and demersal fishes at the state’s Economic Exclusive Zone (EEZ). Studies will include research on sustainable trawling, oceanography, gathering samples and studying fish population migratory pattern within the EEZ.
Jabu, who is also Minister of Modernisation of Agriculture, said it was important that the state had its own research vessel to investigate the potential of fisheries resources to implement comprehensive policies for innovative fisheries management of its coastal resources. This was so considering the state’s vast EEZ areas of between 12 nautical miles and 200 nautical miles.
“Ever since KK Manchong, under Sarawak Marine Fisheries Department, was not used anymore some five years ago, there is a vacuum in our research activities in the open sea and EEZ. We are now proposing for a bigger capacity research vessel with improved facilities. I am optimistic that the government will approve our request,” he told a press conference after a working visit to the Southeast Asian Fisheries Development Centre (Seafdec) fishery research and training vessel – the MV Seafdec 2 – at sea yesterday.
“Our priority is to do inventory, doing full survey to know the quantity of our fishery resources. The result of the studies will be used as a basis to enable the government formulate better planning to fully utilise our resources while creating a competitive and sustainable fishing industry,” he added.
Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Agro-Based Industry Anthony Nogeh, state Marine Fisheries director Belayong Nyuak, state Agriculture director Datu Lai Kui Fong, permanent secretary to the Ministry of Modernisation of Agriculture Datu Dr Ngenang Janggu and Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) Sarawak regional chief First Admiral (M) Ismaili Bujang Pit were among those accompanying him.
Leading the Malaysia Fisheries Department research on board MV Seafdec 2 was its Fishing Research Institute’s head of Ecology Research Alias Man. The vessel activity focused on three specific areas namely fishing research and training, oceanographic surveys and on-board navigation and engine training.
In 2012, Jabu had stressed the need for the state to expand its deep-sea fishing industry following glowing results of its marine resources based on a 2005 and 2010 research conducted in collaboration with the Malaysian Fisheries Department and Thailand-based Seafdec, with the autonomous inter-governmental body lending its research vessel for two months on a five-year rotation.
Currently, about RM1.2 million had been spent for fuel and travel claims of MV Seafdec 2 crew to conduct research at Sarawak and Sabah waters over the past two-and-a-half months. Jabu said the state would make another request from the Economic Planning Unit to consider fund allocation to continue the research, which would cost an additional RM200,000.
“Because of certain constraints, especially the weather, they did not manage to complete the full schedule proposed in their study. We hope EPU could provide for them to complete their research. There will be a meeting tomorrow (today) and we hope the decision is favourable,” he said.
MV Seafdec 2, built by the Japanese government to conduct fishing surveys and training operations in the coast of Asean waters, was completed in 2003 in response to resolutions passed at the Asean-Seafdec Millennium Conference.