SEREMBAN, Oct 4: The Negeri Sembilan Fisheries Department (JPNS) has issued a stern warning to immediately stop using ‘bubu naga’ (dragon traps) for fishing in the coastal waters of Port Dickson and for prawn fishing in Sungai Linggi and Sungai Rembau.
State Fisheries deputy director Doreen Wee Siew Leen said the rampant use of ‘bubu naga’ traps poses a serious threat to marine and river life, as these traps indiscriminately capture all forms of aquatic species, regardless of size, including fish fry, prawns and crabs.
“We have received numerous complaints regarding the declining udang galah (giant freshwater prawn) population in the Sungai Linggi and Sungai Rembau rivers, as well as a sharp decrease in fish stocks in the state’s waters.
“The fish and prawn catch has dropped by around 40 per cent compared to a few years ago, which has directly impacted the livelihoods of local fishermen.
“From 2022 until August this year, JPNS has taken action against 10 individuals involved in the use of ‘bubu naga’ traps in Negeri Sembilan waters, and enforcement efforts are ongoing to address the issue,” she told Bernama.
She said the Fisheries Department has banned the use of ‘bubu naga’, alongside other destructive fishing methods such as using poison, explosives, electricity and shooting due to their long-term damaging effects on aquatic ecosystems.
Wee said they had also received complaints about illegal prawn poisoning activities, which are another factor contributing to the shortage of freshwater prawns in the Sungai Rembau and Sungai Linggi, as well as rivers in Jelebu and Jempol.
However, she said further action could not be taken as most complaints were made verbally. She urged the public to report these illegal activities to the relevant authorities if they have any information.
“The public should know that we have the Fisheries Act 1985 (1) Fisheries (Prohibition of Fishing Methods) (Amendment) Regulations 2024, which stipulates that if convicted, offenders could face a maximum fine of RM20,000, a maximum prison sentence of two years, or both (for Malaysian citizens),” Wee said.
Wee also said in efforts to boost the population of prawns in the Sungai Linggi and Sungai Timun in Rembau, which are now known as freshwater prawn hubs, the department regularly releases prawn fry, with the latest batch consisting of 64,000 prawns.
Meanwhile, Bukit Palong Fishermen Association head, S. Sugumaran, 53, said that in recent times, seafood catches, particularly prawns and fish, have decreased due to irresponsible activities carried out by certain individuals.
Sugumaran said that he used to harvest catch of up to 50 kilogrammes (kg) per day, but now it has dropped to only about 10 to 15kg.
“It’s tough to catch fish or prawns nowadays. We head out from 6 pm until 8 am and sometimes we struggle to bring back even 10kg.
“Sea prawns, in particular, have become scarce,” said Sugumaran, who has been a fisherman for over 30 years.
— BERNAMA