180 Participants Picked For 'kebun Kerang Melaka'

MELAKA, May 9 (Bernama) -- In an effort to boost the income of fishermen, the Melaka state government has initiated a pilot project to breed cockles (cockle farming) on a commercial scale, through the participation of 180 fishermen.

Also known as ‘Kebun Kerang Melaka’ the pilot project took off in June at a 21-hectare site along the waters of Serkam to Sebatu.

Rural development, Agriculture and Food security committee chairman Dr Muhamad Akmal Saleh said the project involve 18 lots designated for breeding at a cost of RM990,000 that was allocated by the government to buy cockle seeds and to carry out studies and research since June 2022.

“Studies were carried out by the Fisheries Department on the proposed cockle farming sites in addition to bathymetry studies in an effort to understand current conditions at bottom depth, temperature change trends and salinity of the seawater.

“The areas involved in cockle farming was also gazetted as Aquaculture Industry Zone, namely from Sungai Renggei to Sungai Kesang, so that there will be no disruption in the breeding process.

"The lots and participants involved in the project are divided into 10 participants per lot and they were able to harvest 7.18 metric tonnes of cockles worth RM71,880 until March 2023," he told reporters at Bandar Melaka here today.

Earlier Dr Muhamad Akmal presented certificates to participants who attended a management and administration of the cockle farming course.

Dr Muhamad Akmal said through the new technology, income that can be generated from cockle breeding for a period of six to eight months can be significant since the initiative can help produce about 750 metric tonnes of cockles compared to the traditional way of cockle breeding which can take from 18 to 24 months.

He added that such farming can offer significant returns to participants and enables fishermen to have another source of income instead of only depending on fishing in the sea.

“Two similar cockle farming projects were initiated in Penang and Perak and were largely successful. Therefore, we believe this programme can also help improve the income of fishermen who are basically clustered under the B40 group. 

“With better earning capacity, they too can earn an income that can match the M40 or T20 groups," he said.

Meanwhile, Muhammad Safri Talib, 48, a fisherman from the Kuala Merlimau F8ishing Jetty said the ‘Kebun Kerang Melaka’ can offer another source of income to fishermen, especially during the monsoon season whereby fishermen will not be able to go out into the sea for fishing activities.

-- BERNAMA