BEFORE, Mohd Yusof Sulong would go to sea in the wee hours with his son or nephew, praying for a bountiful catch.

The 55-year-old fisherman said they would return around 11am hauling a catch of about 15 to 20kg, considered a good yield.

The volume of their catch is usually affected during the monsoon season, which starts in November, so they stay home.

But the current hot spell has affected their yield, too.

Yusof, whom The Malaysian Insight met at Tok Jembal beach, said he has not gone to sea in a month due to low yield.

He said the situation started in January, with many fishermen no longer going to sea and inevitably affecting their income.

“Even if we go to sea, there is no fish. If there is, it is too little and not even enough to cover fuel (costs).

“As I usually go fishing with my children or other children, we would share the catch.

“But I told my son it is pointless to go to sea now, so we use this time to repair and wash the boat,” he said.

Yusof said severely dwindling yields is a problem faced by more than 2,000 traditional fishermen in Tok Jembal, Terengganu. 

It is also affecting the income of fishermen, who are already being choked by rising living costs.

Yusof said his only income is the RM250 he gets in Fishermen’s Subsistence Allowance.

Agreeing with Yusof was a fisherman who only wanted to be known as Pak Aziz, who said catch shrunk by up to 90%.

Fish market prices have soared due to low supply. Mackerel in Terengganu now costs up to RM22 per kg. 

The price of squid last month went up to RM40 per kg, but it went back to RM30 this month as it is squid season. 

But fishermen said even as seafood prices rise, they are seeing no relief as their incomes remain low. 

Tok Jembal fishermen usually make RM700 during regular season, he said. 

Tok Jembal, located in Kuala Nerus district, is a haven for marine life such as cod, pufferfish, squid and stingray. 

Universiti Malaysia Terengganu academic Mohd Fazrul Hisam Abd Aziz blamed this situation on climate change and uncontrolled fishing.

Fishermen in debt

Pak Aziz is an industry veteran, having been a fisherman his whole adult life.

The Kampung Tok Jembal native said he would give fishermen advances or capital to cover their costs to go to sea.

Slightly better off than most in the village, he helps those in need with small loans.

“If you go to sea, you will need capital, fuel funds, net funds – even if you want to buy ice, it will cost you. And not all fishermen can afford to put in their own money first, so they borrow from others.

“Normally, I will lend them money. I give them how much they need and they pay me later with the fish they get,” he said.

Pak Aziz said the cost of fuel can go up to RM120 a day for those who receive subsidies.

“For those who do not get this subsidy, it is usually RM130 to RM140 one way as they await their fishing licence.

“But that’s just the cost of petrol, not other costs, because there are fishermen who rent boats because they don’t have their own,” he said.

Trawler, weather woes

Pak Aziz said the dire situation is due to the weather and severe trawling.

He said fishermen have been complaining for a long time about trawling, which is usually done by modern boats by encroaching on fishing seas.

“The law states the use of trawls by modern deep-sea fishermen should not be allowed.

“But it happens and we don’t even understand why these people are so free to invade traditional fishing areas and loot the fish,” he said.

Pak Aziz said trawlers destroy the seabed and catch all types of fish including “ikan baja”, which are food for marketable types of fish.

Some fishermen said they have suffered losses due to net damage caused by trawlers.

“A net is not cheap; usually fishermen have to spend around RM4,000 for their nets. For ‘bubu’ (trap used by traditional fishermen), it costs RM300,” he said. 

Most disappointing for the fishermen is how authorities, including the state government, have placed “tukun” (artificial habitats for marine life) in traditional fishing waters.

Most of the tukun are placed at the Sea Park area, which does not benefit the fishermen in any way. 

“We cannot fish there,” Pak Aziz said.

Research body WorldFish’s data showed fish supply in Malaysian waters has dwindled by between 80% and 90%. 

One of the main causes is trawling, which involves pulling large, heavy nets along the seabed. 

In May last year, the National Fishermen’s Association said the supply of fish in the country decreased by up to 70%, which is about 300,000 tonnes a month, compared with about one million tonnes the previous month. 

Another fisherman, Hamzah Ibrahim, 45, said trawling has been ongoing for so long, but no action was taken even after complaints were made.

“Three days ago I went (fishing) and only got 3 or 4kg.

“Only two or three fishermen still go to sea,” he said.

Hamzah however said fishermen are fortunate as May is squid season, which can net them each over RM2,000 a month.

“But not all fishermen will go to catch squid. Some depend only on the fish they catch,” he said.

Hamzah said he still goes out to sea even though he knows his catch will be small.

He said he has no choice as this is his only source of income. He does not receive subsistence allowance as he is waiting for his licence to be approved. 

But his efforts paid off as he returned with 20kg of cod that day. 

“Praise be to God, today, I caught 20kg of cod. I went a little further out.

“The usual spot has very few fish,” he said. – May 20, 2023.