DOF Drawing Up New Regulations To Control Release Of Invasive Fish Species

KUALA LUMPUR, May 31 (Bernama) -- The Department of Fisheries (DOF) will draft new regulations to strengthen control activities of fish release into public waters.

It announced the move today following complaints regarding the release of African catfish (Clarias gariepinus) into Malaysia Agro Exposition Park Serdang (MAEPS) Lake in conjunction with a fishing competition organised by the Malaysian Agricultural Research and Development Institute (MARDI) for the Showtech 2025 programme.

According to the statement, after a site visit and engagement session involving DOF representatives, MARDI and the organising company yesterday, several mitigation measures were agreed upon.

“The fishing competition's secretariat will install additional hapa nets, provide bins to collect African catfish caught during the competition, and disseminate awareness material while carrying out fishing activities throughout the programme.

“MARDI will ensure compliance with the installation of nets, open the lake to controlled fishing activities, and coordinate the inventory and disposal of alien fish after the programme concludes.

“The Fisheries Department will also support this effort through the provision of awareness materials and related technical advisory services,” according to the statement.

Regarding the release of the African catfish, the DOF said that investigations found that 2,000 kilogrammes (kg) of the fish species, estimated at 1,300 fish with an average weight of 1.5 kg each, were released into the lake on May 29, without any notification or request for advisory services from the Selangor Fisheries office.

The DOF statement also advised all parties to always seek technical advice from the State Fisheries office before carrying out any fish release activities into public waters to avoid negative whiplash on the environment and the country’s natural resources as an invasive species can eliminate native fish species.

According to the DOF, the move is also to ensure that actions taken are in line with the principles of environmental sustainability, and do not pose a risk of invasive species to the local water ecosystem.

The five-day Showtech 2025 programme at MAEPS, which began on May 29, is the best platform for the community and industry players to see for themselves the results of the agricultural agency's research on the latest agricultural technology and innovations.

-- BERNAMA