March 19, 2007
 

Malaysia's state of Sabah to be developed into nation's aquaculture zone

The Malaysian state of Sabah would undergo a complete transformation under the Ninth Malaysia Plan (9MP) to become a sustainable and commercial aquaculture sector, the country's Agriculture and Food Industry Minister Rahim Ismail said.

He added this can be achieved by increasing the expertise and productivity levels. The state has the great advantage by having the largest areas suitable for aquaculture development in the country, he said.

About 37 per cent (182,260 hectares) of the land suitable for aquaculture development in Malaysia are in Sabah, according to a study done by the Fisheries Department.

Sabah's Government is currently in the process of gazetting about 63,342 hectares in Sabah into Aquaculture Industrial Zones.

The State Fisheries Department is also now looking into suitable areas for seaweed culturisation, including gazetting as Aquaculture Industrial Zone a few coral beds along the shorelines.

These areas would be developed in sustainable ways with the active involvement of the private sector, with the government providing basic infrastructures in each of these proposed gazetted Aquaculture Industrial Zone.