High operating costs among causes of poor boat landings in Tok Bali - Exco

KOTA BHARU, Nov 27 (Bernama) -- Deep sea boat operators’ inability to increase vessels due to high operating costs is one of the factors contributing to the decrease in fishing boat landings in Tok Bali, Pasir Puteh.

State Agriculture, Agro-based Industry, Biotechnology, Green Technology, and Environment Committee chairman Tuan Saripuddin Tuan Ismail said that based on the Kelantan State Fisheries Department’s observation, the depreciation of the ringgit was not the main factor affecting or influencing the number of landings in Kelantan.

"The situation has arisen partly because the number of active licences is decreasing and it is difficult to renew them because there are not enough crew members who have Temporary Employment Visit Passes (PLKS) and the existing vessels are old," he said.

He was responding to a question from Wan Hassan Wan Ibrahim (PAS-Semerak) who wanted to know if the government was aware that the number of fishing boats landing in Tok Bali had dropped significantly, especially after COVID-19. 

Tuan Saripuddin said the fishing sector in Kelantan is on track to increase marine fish landings following the government’s announcement that Malaysia has entered the Transition to the Endemic phase 

He hoped that a more holistic solution can be taken together with the federal government under the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Industries by increasing the number of deep-sea licences and reopening the traditional C and B zone licences.

-- BERNAMA