BINTULU: Sarawak Fishing Vessels Association (SFVA) wants the Department of Fisheries to talk with the local operators of trawler vessels operating in Zone B.
Its secretary, Harry Tan Joo Seng, said based on an online survey conducted by the department recently, the association believed that several issues raised by members during the previous dialogues had not been given due consideration.
Trawling within 14.8km to 28km from shore will be banned by 2020.
Zone B trawlers are given an option to upgrade their boats to bigger ones by moving into Zone C in order to operate 12 nautical miles and beyond.
However, if they did not have the capital, Tan said they could still use their current boats, but to change the fishing method into traditional fishing or use drift nets.
“Changing from trawler nets to drift nets is a very costly operation. It can take about RM50,000 to modify, which we cannot afford,” he said.
Tan said based on the survey, the department proposed a compensation of RM200,000 (maximum) for each vessel disposed of, assistance of RM50,000 for modification to traditional fishing gears or RM50,000 to operate trawler vessels but moving up to Zone C for vessel 25GRT (Gross Registered Tonnage) and above.
He added that 12 nautical miles is suitable for vessels 65 GRT and above, and Zone B 39 GRT.
“We are a small outfit. How are we going to manage and earn a living?”
He, however, said owners of vessels below 25GRT, would probably agree with the department’s proposal because most of them might take the RM200,000-compensation and stop operation.
Asked on the RM50,000 assistance to upgrade their vessels to operate beyond the 12 nautical miles, Tan said it was not enough.
Also, to operate in Zone C they would have to compete with the bigger vessels.
Tan said they were still waiting for Fisheries Department’s decision regarding their request to move to 7 nautical miles.
“We always cooperate with them (dept), and they must be more tolerant with us the fishermen.”
It was reported that trawling is the highest contributor to trash fish landing, where juvenile or fish of low commercial value end up as aquaculture feeds.