WWF-Malaysia applauds the Agriculture and Agro-based Industry Ministry and the Department of Fisheries on their forward-looking decision to impose a partial ban on trawling from Jan 1, 2016.
This is an opportunity to transform Malaysian fisheries into a truly sustainable industry by revisiting fishery subsidy policies, advancing its development, and implementing the national Framework on Ecosystem Approach to Fisheries Management.
Trawling is one of the most destructive fishing methods, where a large net with heavy weights is dragged across the sea floor. This means that everything in the net’s path will be picked up, from untargeted species to small fish and coral. This is damaging to the marine ecosystem and contributes to the problem of overfishing in Malaysia.
The impending ban will help to not only reduce fishing capacity, but will also have positive implications for the protection and recovery of marine ecosystems and resources, which are reported to have been depleted by about 90 per cent.
The decision to reopen purse seine licensing presents an opportunity for implementing a sustainable fisheries entry plan, where, for instance, fishing capacity is controlled ideally via introducing conditional subsidies, catch quotas and so forth. Gradually, similar means of capacity control ought to be applicable cross the board.
A purse seine is a net set vertically into the water and encircles a school of fish into a net in a consistent and efficient manner.
It is also crucial that in reopening purse seine licensing, fishing capacity is controlled by coordinating the exit of trawlers and the entry of purse seiners.
Besides the issue of fishing capacity, the sustainability of wild-capture fisheries and aquaculture industry ought to be considered, for instance, by mandating sustainable practices for entitlement to fisheries and aquaculture subsidies.
Sustainably managed fishery resources sustain livelihoods and the sustainability of marine resources requires fishing capacity to be carried out at, or above, sustainable levels.
As the partial ban on trawling only addresses fishing overcapacity in part, comprehensive and integrated policy reform is required for a more effective resolution.
Capacity-enhancing subsidies ought to be gradually removed and capacity-restricting policies, such as catch quotas, could be implemented.
WWF-Malaysia commends and supports this responsible step to impose such a ban. It is our hope to see continuous support from the government towards a truly sustainable fisheries industry in Malaysia.
2014. New Straits Times Press (M) Berhad