1/ Prepared by Mr. D. Pathansali, Fisheries Research Institute, Penang and Mr. S. Zainol, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, Kuala Lumpur
1. BACKGROUND AND JUSTIFICATION
Fisheries play a significant role in the Malaysian national economy by being a major source of cheap protein food, by providing employment to the population, and by earning foreign exchange. Fish forms almost two thirds of the total animal protein consumed by the population; the fishing industry employs 3.8 percent of the economically-active population; and fish comprise 3.0 percent in value of the total exports from Malaysia.
Total fish production in 1973 from all sources was 466 030 tons of which 431 471 tons were from capture fisheries, and 34 559 tons were from culture fisheries (Table 1). In 1973, fish and fish products exported totalled 129 657 tons as against 79 525 tons of imports, valued at M.$ 201 743 4102/ and M.$ 65 970 211 respectively. Between 1961 and 1970, marine fish landings increased at a very high rate of 7.0 percent annually but, thereafter, the growth rate has levelled off. This was due to the rapid growth of the trawl fishery and the subsequent levelling off of landings through intensive exploitation in the Malacca Strait. Marine fish landings are expected to increase, however, with the development of the coastal marine fisheries in the South China Sea.
2/ U.S.$ 1.00 = approx. M.$ 2.60
The population of Malaysia in 1975 is estimated at 13 million and is expected to increase at a rate of 3.15 percent to 15.1 million by 1980, and at a rate of 3.124 percent to 17.5 million by 1985. The 1975 per caput demand for fish is estimated at 27.7 kg; this is expected to increase to 28.8 kg by 1980 and 29.7 kg by 1985. Based on these figures, the total demand for fish for human consumption would be 434 900 and 516 000 tons by 1980 and 1985 respectively.
The greater portion of these projected demands in supply would be met through the expansion of the marine fisheries, mainly offshore and deep-sea, in the South China Sea. The remaining portion would be met through the development of aquaculture, mainly in brackish-water areas (Table 2).
The national policy of the Government has a socio-economic base; the social goals are to increase employment opportunities, raise income and living standards, and to promote active participation by the fishermen in the fishing enterprises through development and maximum exploitation of the fishery resources of the country in line with sound fishery management practices. The role of aquaculture development within the framework of the policy is to contribute to increased production by taking advantage of the existing semi-skilled surplus manpower available within the marine fisheries sector.
2. OBJECTIVES AND GOALS OF AQUACULTURE DEVELOPMENT
2.1 Objectives
The long-term objectives of aquaculture development are to contribute to the projected demand of fish, by developing areas unsuitable for agriculture and other uses through sound culture practices and management.
The short-term objectives will be to identify areas and species suitable for aquaculture, expansion and strengthening of supporting research, and training of the technical and operative personnel.
For the short term, the main thrust of aquaculture development will be in the public sector which will promote small-scale as well as large-scale culture.
2.2 Production Targets
The main type of culture to be developed during the ten-year period, 1976-85, is brackish-water culture. There are about 150 000 ha of brackishwater areas, mangrove swamps and coastal flats suitable for development, though at present only about 376 ha (excluding 1 166 ha of coastal mud-flats used for cockle culture) are being utilized. The main species groups to be cultured are prawns and finfish.
Mariculture and freshwater culture would also be developed; the former through the development of cage culture of finfish and shellfish culture, and the latter through the expansion of culture areas, and improvements in culture and management practices.
In 1973, the total production from all sources of aquaculture was 34 559 tons. Of this figure, 6 030 tons was from freshwater culture; 529 tons from brackishwater culture; and 28 000 tons from mariculture (mainly from cockle culture).
During the Third Malaysia Plan, 1976-80, the projected production by the last year is 41 459 tons. The contributions by the various sources are 7 230 tons from freshwater culture, 4 529 tons from brackishwater culture, and 29 700 tons from mariculture.
During the Fourth Malaysia Plan, 1981-85, the projected production by the last year is 50 859 tons. The contributions by the various sources are 8 930 tons from freshwater culture, 10 529 tons from brackishwater culture, and 31 400 tons from mariculture (Tables 3 and 4).
2.3 Cultivated Species and Production Systems
The types of production systems to be adopted are:
- brackishwater pond culture;
- freshwater pond culture;
- replenishment stocking of public inland-water bodies, including cage culture;
- mariculture in coastal areas by cage culture in impoundments, and raft culture.
In brackishwater pond culture and mariculture, the techniques (other than for cockle culture) are still in the early stages of development. For these systems (which are now practised essentially on a small scale) the basic technology exists, but needs to be upgraded and strengthened. It is planned that measures to acquire and/or upgrade the technology would be through training of personnel and operatives and by demonstration of more efficient methods of culture and management. The development of new technology will be carried out by the public sector, with assistance from international agencies, on an experimental and/or semi-commercial scale.
The types of aquaculture and the species considered suitable for culture are:
|
Brackishwater culture |
Penaeus spp., Chanos chanos, Mugil sp. and Lates calcarifer |
|
Freshwater culture |
Puntius gonionotus, Cyprinus carpio, Ctenopharyngodon idella, Aristichthys nobilis, Hypophthalmichthys molitrix, Osphronemus goramy, Trichogaster pectoralis, Helostoma temmincki, Amyada sp. and Macrobrachium rosenbergii. |
|
|
Other species which are considered suitable for culture are some local riverine species and some Indian major carps. |
|
Mariculture |
Anadara granosa, Crassostrea spp., Mytilus sp., Epinephelus spp., Lates calcarifer, Eleutheronema tetradactylum, Chelonia mydas, Eucheuma spp. |
3. ESTABLISHMENT OF INFRASTRUCTURE
3.1 Extension Service
An inland fisheries extension service exists within the Fisheries Division with sub-offices in the districts, with its main extension activities being to provide advice and assistance in site selection, design and construction of fishponds, pond management and the distribution of subsidized inputs, the training of farmers, and the supply and distribution of fish seed. During the Third Malaysia Plan, 1976-80, a number of stations for seed production of Macrobrachium and freshwater fish, as well as for demonstration/training, are planned for construction. Though marketing is not included in the extension activity of the fisheries extension service, it is provided for by another agency of the Government.
3.2 Training of Core Personnel
For the public sector activities of extension and training, the type of core personnel required are senior and junior fish culturists who should be trained in all aspects of extension practices and activities. The number required are four and 30 respectively for each grade.
It is planned that these categories of personnel will be trained within the country through local group training programmes and in regional fish culture centres and neighbouring countries and elsewhere, assisted by funding from international agencies.
For the private sector the training of operatives, estimated at 6 250 for the ten-year period, would be within the country. The present facilities will be expanded and new ones set up in conjunction with research and hatchery stations.
3.3 Organization of Research
At present, there are two fisheries research institutes, one with brackishwater and marine culture as one of its activities, and the other for freshwater fish culture. In the Third Malaysia Plan, three new research stations are planned for the proposed culture systems identified under section 2.3 on brackishwater and marine, and freshwater culture.
Training would be required for at least one researcher in each of the following subjects;
- Semi-intensive culture of penaeid prawns in brackishwater ponds
- Hatchery production of seed prawns (Penaeus) and design of hatchery systems
- Culture of brackishwater/marine fishes in ponds and net enclosures/cages
- Culture of shellfish
- Nutritional requirements of fish and the development of suitable fish feeds
- Fish diseases and related problems
- Pond engineering
- Water quality and pollution
4. PRODUCTION PROGRAMMES
4.1 Financing and Credit
There is no specific arrangement for financing production programmes in the private sector. However, a system is being developed whereby farmers can obtain loans from public banks, provided their feasibility is endorsed by the responsible Government agency. Aquaculture projects in land development schemes are supported by the respective agency's funds. The public agency charged with the development of commercial fisheries undertakes to develop culture either with public funds or funds obtained from international funding agencies.
At the present stage of aquaculture development, financing and credit remain a major problem and the solution will not be found until the profitability of large-scale aquaculture operations is demonstrated.
4.2 Phasing and Management of Production Programmes
The kind of culture to be developed during the next ten years would be brackishwater aquaculture. The area to be developed covers 12 000 ha which would require 6 250 operatives. Some preliminary work on the selection of suitable sites and species has already been conducted with FAO/UNDP assistance. The training of operatives would be carried out as an integrated activity in the aquaculture research, demonstration, and hatchery stations to be set up during the Third Malaysia Plan, and through on-the-job training.
As seed production will be one of the most important inputs in aquaculture, the highest priority will be given to the survey of natural seed sources and to the hatchery production of seeds to meet the demands for aquafarm seedlings.
4.3 Budget
Since the greater emphasis and efforts would be directed to the promotion of brackish-water culture, for which 12 000 ha are to be developed during the ten-year period, investment is estimated only for brackishwater culture (Table 5). The total investment estimated is M.$ 150 million for the ten-year period based on a capital expenditure of M.$ 12 000/ha in 1980, and M.$ 15 000/ha in 1985.
4.4 External Assistance Requirements
For the accelerated implementation of the development programmes in Malaysia, technical assistance through international bodies like FAO/UNDP and SEAFDEC, as well as through bilateral arrangements with countries with established aquaculture practices, is imperative. The assistance required includes:
- Aquaculture experts for terms of not less than two years, and consultancies in specified fields to be assigned for the development of brackishwater and marine culture. A project proposal is being considered.- Material and equipment for aquaculture research, extension and training which are not available locally.
- Assistance in the training of extension and research personnel, locally and overseas.
5. REFERENCES
Labon, A., Malaysian Long Term Fisheries Development Plan until 1995. Rome, FAO, SCS/DEV/73/10: 1974 90 p.
Ling, S.W., Status, potential and development of coastal aquaculture in the countries bordering 1973 the South China Sea. Rome, FAO, SCS/DEV/73/5:51 p.
Malaysia, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, Draft master plan for the long term 1975 development of aquaculture, 1976-1985. April, 1975
TABLE 1
Production of Fish (tons) through Capture Fisheries and Aquaculture (1973)
|
Type |
Capture fisheries |
Aquaculture |
Total |
|
Marine |
411 471 |
28 000 |
439 471 |
|
Brackishwater |
|
529 |
529 |
|
Freshwater |
20 000 |
6 030 |
26 030 |
|
Total |
431 471 |
34 559 |
466 030 |
TABLE 2
Projected Production and Demand for Fish (tons) by 1980 and 1985
|
End year |
Capture fisheries |
Aquaculture |
Total |
Projected demand | |
|
|
|
|
|
Human consumption |
Totala/ |
|
1980 |
540 000a/ |
41 459 |
581 459 |
434 900 |
577 400 |
|
1985 |
660 000a/ |
50 859 |
710 859 |
516 000 |
679 500 |
a/ Includes fish production for industrial purposes
TABLE 3
Projected Production (tons) by Aquaculture Development by 1980 and 1985
|
End year |
Type |
Production |
Net increase |
|
1973
|
Marine Brackishwater Freshwater |
28 000 |
|
|
Total |
34 559 |
|
|
|
1980
|
|
|
(over 1973) |
|
Total |
41 459 |
6 900 |
|
|
1985
|
|
|
(over 1980) |
|
Total |
50 859 |
9 400 |
TABLE 4
Projected Area (ha) to be Developed for Aquaculture
|
End year |
Freshwater culture |
Brackishwater culture |
Mariculture |
Total increment |
|
1973 |
7 345 |
376 |
1 166 |
- |
|
Increment |
500 |
5000 |
200 |
5 700 |
|
1985 |
8 345 |
12 376 |
1 566 |
- |
|
Increment |
500 |
7 000 |
200 |
7 700 |
TABLE 5
Projected Investment Costs for Brackishwater Culture Development a/
a/ Modified from Labon, A., 1974. Malaysian long-term fisheries development plan until 1995. - SCS/DEV/73/10/Rome
|
End year |
Productionb/ |
Areab/ |
Investment ('000 M.$) |
Value of production ('000 M.$) |
Return ('000 M.$) |
Employment |
|
1980 |
4 000 |
5 000 |
60 000 |
19 000 |
9 500 |
2 500 |
|
Total |
10 000 |
12 000 |
150 000 |
47 500 |
24 700 |
6 250 |
b/ Denotes net increase by the end year of the plan period over the end year of the previous period
