THE Penang South Reclamation Project will affect 4,996 fishermen in the state, of which 1,422 are traditional fishermen, said Salahuddin Ayub.

The agriculture and agro-based industry minister said the permanent environmental damage that is expected to arise from the project will also affect 51,184 tonnes of catchment with an estimated value of RM555 million a year.

Meanwhile, the project is also expected to affect 511 aquaculture players with 45,742 tonnes of produce valued at RM1.67 billion per annum.

He said the onus is on the Penang government fend for the affected fishermen and compensate them accordingly.

“Since the project is an initiative of the Penang government, the ministry is of the view that it is the responsibility of the state government to fend for these fishermen and offer them the rightful compensation,” Salahuddin said.

The ministry via the Fisheries Department has laid down the necessary mitigation measures that have to be taken by the Penang government to protect the marine life in its waters.

This includes gazetting the coastline of Pulau Betung to Teluk Bahang as a conservation zone and the middle bank as a protected area.

Besides that, the island’s shape should also be modified to carve a subtidal zone migration route, which could reach a depth of 1m-2m during low tide in the southern part of the island.

This would allow for the migration of certain prawn species from the eastern part of the island to the west. 

The state government is also required to carry out two studies on the development and migration patterns of two prawn species, and the impacts of dredging and reclamation on them and fishing grounds. – July 16, 2019.