Latest news with #Showtech2025
New Straits Times
3 days ago
- Science
- New Straits Times
Authorities, organisers must better monitor release of fish
KUALA LUMPUR: Authorities and fishing competition organisers must better monitor the release and removal of fish in lakes, especially non-native species, to prevent ecological harm. Universiti Malaysia Terengganu senior research fellow at the Institute of Climate Adaptation and Marine Biotechnology, Professor Datuk Dr Mazlan Abd Ghaffar said organisers should also record the average size of fish released into lakes to identify whether recaptured fish are new or existing ones. He warned that even enclosed lakes could overflow during heavy rain, allowing invasive species like African catfish (Clarias gariepinus) to escape and disrupt native ecosystems. "The African catfish is a very hardy catfish species and very aggressive compared to local indigenous fish species, as they pose a greater ecological threat due to their behaviour and rapid growth," he told the New Straits Times. Once released into rivers, they can outcompete native species, disrupt food chains and take over natural habitats, he added. "For competitions, organisers must ensure that participants take the fish home and cook them - this would prevent further ecological harm… and ensure that these fish are not discarded back into the river after the competition. "The Fisheries Department, too, should also monitor the number of fish released and removed, tracking the inflow and outflow accurately," he said. Asked about the impact of the species entering rivers, Mazlan said these aggressive, fast-growing fish will compete for food and outcompete native species. He said the risk of them preying on indigenous species is high. The Fisheries Department has announced that it will draft new regulations to strengthen control activities of fish release into public waters, following complaints regarding the release of African catfish into Malaysia Agro Exposition Park Serdang (Maeps) Lake. The fish were released in conjunction with a fishing competition organised by the Malaysian Agricultural Research and Development Institute (Mardi) for the Showtech 2025 programme. The department said 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. Earlier, on May 7, the Fisheries Department had also advised against the release of foreign fish species into public waters without proper consultation, following an incident on May 2 involving a non-governmental organisation releasing fish into a drain at Jalan Lee Sam. An inspection found that the fish released was also African catfish.
New Straits Times
5 days ago
- General
- New Straits Times
New regulations to control release of invasive fish species being drawn up
KUALA LUMPUR: The Fisheries Department 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. The fish were released 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 department 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," the statement said. Regarding the release of the African catfish, the department said that investigations found that 2,000kg of the fish species, estimated at 1,300 fish with an average weight of 1.5kg each, were released into the lake on May 29. This was done without any notification or request for advisory services from the Selangor Fisheries office. The statement advised all parties to always seek technical advice from the state Fisheries office before carrying out any fish release activities into public waters. This is 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 department, 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.
Barnama
5 days ago
- General
- Barnama
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.
