February 13, 2006

Brunei aims to develop fisheries sector
 

Brunei's fisheries industry is a promising sector that will add diversity to Brunei's economy, Brunei's Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Primary Resources Dato Paduka Hj Mohd Hamid said.

The industry is expected to be worth US$141 million by December 2010, with US$16 million derived from its seafood processing sector.

The Permanent Secretary said local entrepreneurs have started exploring the seafood export market and he hoped activities in the seafood export industry could be intensified as export opportunities abound.

The Fisheries Department will act as a facilitator to develop the fisheries industry by preparing general infrastructure for fish and prawn rearing sites within identified areas. It will also provide seafood processing facilities to assist small-scale fishermen.

Fisheries Director Hajah Hasnah said that the Fisheries Department has prepared industrial sites and other infrastructure for the processing of seafood resources. These projects were carried out under the Eight National Development Plan with the objective of developing the seafood processing sector, he said.