WE read with great interest recent reports on how offshore sand mining and reclamation have negatively impacted the livelihood of thousands of coastal fishermen. It was also reported that the destruction of mangrove forests and encroachment by foreign fishermen have damaged marine habitats and exacerbated local fishermen’s already tenuous existence.

While we welcome the statement by Muhammad Faiz Fadzil, chairman of the Fisheries Development Authority (LKIM), highlighting sand mining and its destructive consequences, we would like to point out that coastal land reclamation has had a similarly deleterious, if not worse, impact on Malaysia’s marine habitats. Reclamation projects in Penang waters have led to a markedly reduced catch by our fishermen. This grave situation calls for concerted and coordinated rehabilitative strategies by the authorities and stakeholders, to halt this trajectory of destruction of the environment and continued hardship of local fishermen.

Interviews with inshore fishermen from Tanjung Tokong, Tanjung Bungah, Gurney and Paramount during a complaints session organised by SAM, CAP and Penang Forum pointed to a significant decline in their catch in terms of volume and diversity, following the start of the reclamation projects in Seri Tanjung Pinang (1 and 2) and Gurney Wharf in 2016. The fishermen said their haul of large prawns has dropped from 15kg daily before the reclamation to a mere 1kg or 2kg. Some said clams, pomfret and ikan sembilang have virtually disappeared from the area, while other fish species have also reduced drastically. Nearly all of those interviewed mentioned the deterioration of seawater quality after the reclamation works. A fisherman who previously earned RM2,000 a month now makes just RM600. Almost all of those interviewed said they had a relatively comfortable existence before the reclamation, but now, their lives are of hardship and uncertainty.

During the session in Bagan Ajam, the fishermen interviewed said the Butterworth Outer Ring Road (BORR) reclamation project that was completed in 2005 has badly impacted the quantity and diversity of their catch in the area. Until now, it has not recovered to pre-reclamation levels. One fisherman said he used to be able to catch between 50 and 70 pomfrets a day, but the number has plummeted to just two. The fishermen interviewed in Bagan Ajam also said the seawater in the area is now dirty, muddy and turbid. Some even said the pollution has caused them skin problems. Others complained that they often pull out jellyfish and sea urchins. The increasing amount of debris in the sea frequently damages their nets, which are expensive to replace.

The sea between Butterworth and Tanjung Tokong was famous for ikan kembung, which used to be so cheap that it was fed to cats. It is rare to find significant amounts of ikan kembung these days, therefore, locals are deprived of “the people’s fish”.

It is worth noting that these fishermen are among the most reliable stewards of the sea, because any change to the conditions of the sea has a direct bearing on their daily income. They know what the optimal marine conditions are, that will attract the most fish; they know the areas near the coast where fish species come to breed; they know when the sea is burdened by pollutants and sediments, because of their reduced catch or the absence of fish. They do not have a myopic zero-sum perspective because traditional fishing is an economic activity that thrives on the sustainable and sensible handling of fish stocks, the sea and the coastal environment for the long term.

The pollution resulting from reclamation, sand mining and dumping may also affect the billion-ringgit marine aquaculture industry. Penang was recently hit by Typhoon Lekima, which stirred up pollutants from the seabed, resulting in a fish kill of 50,000 and a great loss to the industry. In the last two days, several pollution events were recorded in Batu Feringghi, Teluk Bahang and Teluk Kumbar. There could be several causes of pollution, but with reclamation works in progress, pollution in Penang waters has reached the saturation point.

With all this in mind, we would like to propose that LKIM and/or the relevant government ministries and departments immediately commission an in-depth study, by an independent institution of unquestionable reputation, on the impact of reclamation. From the study’s findings, they can make informed policy recommendations to the government on how to rehabilitate the affected areas, both on land and at sea. If the study finds that full rehabilitation is impossible, there should be a moratorium on any future reclamation.

We know that reclamation and/or sand-mining projects are being planned in Perlis, Kedah, Penang, Perak, Selangor, Negri Sembilan, Malacca, Johor and Sabah, with no regard whatsoever for the inshore fishing community. The fishermen and farmers of Malaysia, upon whose blood, sweat, and toil the nation was built, deserve better as we approach the 62nd anniversary of Merdeka. – August 27, 2019.

* Khoo Salma Nasution is a member of Penang Forum.

* This is the opinion of the writer or publication and does not necessarily represent the views of The Malaysian Insight. Article may be edited for brevity and clarity.