Freshwater fish promoted through frozen food items - Pahang Fisheries Director

KUANTAN, May 25 (Bernama) -- Various initiatives will be implemented to promote freshwater fish to the community for its protein source, which includes producing frozen food items, says Pahang Fisheries Department director Abdullah Jaafar.

He said some freshwater fish farmers had been sent to attend a course in collaboration with the Malaysian Agricultural Research and Development Institute (MARDI).

"We have collaborated with the agency to make value-added products such as ‘patin’ (catfish) nuggets, patin burgers and several other products. The first group of 20 farmers was sent to attend the course last November," he told reporters here today.

He was met during the department’s ‘Let's Eat Freshwater Fish’ tour and the campaign to prohibit the release of foreign fish species into public waters at the Pahang state level, which was also attended by Pahang Agriculture, Agro-based Industries and Biotechnology Committee chairman Datuk Seri Mohd Soffi Abd Razak.

He added that about 1,900 individuals were involved in freshwater fish farming in Pahang.

Commenting on the initiative to promote freshwater fish, he said it was aimed at increasing the sales revenue of aquaculture farmers as well as providing an alternative to saltwater fish.

Meanwhile, Abdullah said activities of releasing foreign fish species in state waters were still being kept under check.

He said that in Pahang, the 1991 River Fishery Regulation was in the process of being amended while the Fisheries Regulation (Inland Fishery Aquaculture) was being reviewed and newly enacted to allow individuals involved to be prosecuted.

Both regulations contain prohibitions on disposing, releasing fish of foreign species into public waters, breeding, storing, selling, or using genetically modified fish of exotic fish or non-native fish species in aquaculture activities, except with permission.

"Offenders can be compounded no less than RM500. If convicted in court, they can be fined not more than RM20,000 or jailed not more than two years, or both," he said.

-- BERNAMA