The aquaculture industry is a critical part of Malaysia’s economy, especially as the country seeks to recover from the economic impact of the Covid-19 pandemic and navigate food security issues.
In 2021, the fisheries subsector produced 1.75 million tonnes of edible fish, 242.5 million tonnes of ornamental fish, and 24.4 million tonnes of aquatic plants, which totaled RM14.88bil in value. The production of edible fish decreased slightly in 2020, but aquaculture products helped mitigate the shortage.
Last year, the aquaculture subsector contributed 573,000 tonnes to the country’s fish landings, which is an increase from 417,000 tonnes in 2020.
Fisheries Malaysia director-general Datuk Adnan Hussain has highlighted the indirect role aquaculture can play in addressing fish supply shortages during challenging periods, such as the monsoon season.
To further strengthen the aquaculture sector, the Department of Fisheries aims to work with other agencies under the Agriculture and Food Security Ministry to ensure food security concerns are addressed.
Despite the positive outlook for the aquaculture industry, experts have raised concerns about the lack of a clear national blueprint to boost the industry. Factors such as land acquisition, climate change, and disease outbreaks could hinder efforts to increase aquaculture activity.
Universiti Putra Malaysia’s fish breeding and genetics expert Assoc Prof Dr Yuzine Esa has called for the establishment of a national plan on aquaculture development and sustainability under the upcoming 13th Malaysian Plan.
He also emphasized the need for sustainable practices in aquaculture, in line with the Sustainable Development Goals report.
According to conservation.org, aquaculture can have negative environmental impacts if practiced unsustainably, such as the uncontrolled clearing of coastal forests for fish farms and water pollution from farming chemicals and excess nutrients.
Land acquisition is a significant factor affecting the growth of the aquaculture sector, with competition from other economic activities making it difficult to acquire suitable land for aquaculture.
An Aquaculture Industrial Zone (AIZ) has been established to address land allocation issues, but challenges such as rising production costs, lack of skilled labor, and food safety and quality concerns continue to hinder sector development.
Farming shrimp and fish in Malaysia can be costly, with production costs ranging between 30-40% of the market value for shrimps, and 60-70% for fish.
Assoc Prof Yuzine has proposed additional land be allocated for fishery and aquaculture use to mitigate land acquisition and farming challenges.
Other issues affecting the aquaculture industry include climate change, insufficient local fish seeds, environmental pollution, and labor shortages, all of which need to be addressed to ensure the sustainable growth of the sector.
Efforts to resolve the issue of insufficient local fish seeds include the establishment of the National Seed Centre at Universiti Putra Malaysia, with a focus on developing and producing genetically-improved fish breeds to meet market demands.
Overall, addressing these challenges and establishing sustainable practices is crucial for the long-term success of the aquaculture industry in Malaysia.
The sea cages at the GST aquaculture farm near Pulau Jerejak in Penang. Last year, the aquaculture sub-sector contributed to the country’s fish landings of 573,000 metric tonnes. — The Star
