PUTRAJAYA’S move to reduce the amount of subsidised diesel for fishermen has led to shorter times out at sea and thus reduced catch, said Chinese fishermen groups.

There are now concerns that there won’t be enough supply to meet demand this Chinese New Year, and that consumers will pay higher prices for seafood as well.

Malaysia Fish Industries General Association president Chia Tian Hee said the reduction in subsidised fuel began in 2018 and reduced further last year.

“We used to be able to fish at sea an average of 22 days every month but because of the reduction, we can only spend 15 days out at sea each month.

“For the past few months, fishermen have found it difficult to refuel their boats,” Chia told The Malaysian Insight.

Fishing boats usually need about 20,000 litres of fuel but they can only now get 13,000 litres, resulting in fewer days at sea.

The lack of fuel and the reduced catch have also exacerbated tension between fishing folk, causing damage to their vessels, Chia said. Boats usually only need fixing once every two years but they now have to be repaired once every six months.

“I’ve been catching fish in Sekinchan for 18 years, I’ve never seen anything like this. There has been a lack of supply of subsidised fuel for the last two years.”

Hai Suah Hutan Melintang Association president Lee Chu Soi told The Malaysian Insight that the amount of subsidised diesel has been reduced two years in a row. The association represents fishermen in Hutan Melintang, Perak.

Lee hopes the agriculture and agro-based industry minister and deputy minister can visit Hutan Melintang to see for themselves the situation and to listen to the fishermen’s grouses.

Hutan Melintang contributes 36% to the country’s seafood produce and the cut in the amount of subsidised fuel is expected to reduce the output of the 580 fishing vessels there.

Lee defended the local fishermen from claims that they sold subsidised fuel to make a quick buck, saying they do not have enough for their own fishing.

“We do not even have enough to fish, why would we want to sell subsidised fuel to others? Maybe it occurs in other areas, but not here.”

Lee said the government should allocate more subsidised fuel to high-output fishing areas, such as Kuantan, Hutan Melintang and Selangor.

“The population and number of fishing vessels will only increase but subsidised fuel is being reduced.”

Early last year, the Fisheries Development Authority of Malaysia (LKIM) reduced the amount of subsidised fuel for fishermen by 2.88 million litres, causing some to stop work, leading to a drop in seafood output.

The industry complained that the move also affected downstream activities, such as food processing, warning it could affect the larger economy.

LKIM chairman Muhammad Faiz Fadzil last year confirmed that only 80 million litres of subsidised fuel for fishermen was given out in 2018 and this was further reduced by 25% in 2019 to about 60 million litres.

Faiz said there is nothing to stop fishermen from buying diesel at the retail price to supplement their neds. He also said the reduced seafood catch should not be blamed on cuts to subsidised fuel alone, as festive demand and the monsoon are other contributing factors.

The Finance Ministry slashed the amount of subsidised diesel because of financial constraints.

Deputy Agriculture and Agro-based Industry Minister Sim Tze Tzin said he would need to check on the situation and understand the fishermen’s concerns.

“Last year, we found third-party fishermen purchasing subsidised fuel but for this year, we don’t know the whole situation yet,” Sim told The Malaysian Insight.

Ahead of Chinese New Year which is less than three weeks away, Chia said fish prices have already increased by up to 20%.

Chinese pomfret has gone from RM88 per kg to RM130 per kg, while prawns have gone from RM48 per kg to RM58 per kg.

Lee said the amount of prawns would be less this year and blamed climate change.

“The weather has changed and seawater is cooler, the prawns are in ‘hiding’. The quality of farmed prawns cannot be compared to those caught at sea,” he said.

However, Lee said some businesses have anticipated the reduced catch from fishermen since the end of last year and have imported more frozen seafood to meet demand.

It is tradition for the Chinese to splurge on seafood for reunion dinners but Lee said the hike in prices has caused many families to buck the tradition and settle for a modest meal to mark the occasion. – January 9, 2020.