Isran (third right) and others give their thumbs-up at the launching of the programme. – Photo by Conny Banji
SIBU (Oct 19): Sarawak Fisheries Department and Sarawak Marine Fisheries Department hope to increase aquaculture fish production through the ‘Rasa-Rasa Akuakultur’ programme and various other promotions.
Sarawak Marine Fisheries Department Aquaculture Branch head Chai Pui Shan said this would help generate income for the aquaculture farmers in the state.
“The Malaysian Fisheries Department is targeting 530,000 metric tons of landing production as a result of aquaculture activities, while the target set by Sarawak Fisheries Department and Sarawak Marine Fisheries Department are 22,000 and 8,000 metric tons respectively,” she said.
She said this when officiating the ‘Rasa-Rasa Akuakultur’ programme organised by the Sarawak Marine Fisheries Department here yesterday.
Her text of speech was read by Sibu Region 2 Fisheries chief Isran Abdul Rasid.
Chai said the programme was to promote and encourage the people to consume aquaculture fish in their daily meals, also in line with empowering the aquaculture industry to meet the protein resource needs of Malaysians.
“This is the fourth series of ‘Rasa-Rasa Akuakultur’ organised in Sarawak, whereby we hope that this programme will help support the development of aquaculture downstream products,” she said.
At the programme, visitors were served sea bass cooked in three flavours, tempura prawns and grilled tiger prawns with cheese.
There were also sales of vannamei prawns and sea bass at a special price.
The products were from aquaculture farms under the guidance of the Sarawak Marine Fisheries Department.
At the same event, the department presented farming assistance to Aquaculture Delivery System and Extension Support Services (SPeKS) participants.
Chai said among the objectives of the assistance were to increase the production and productivity of the agro-food sector to meet the country’s demand for protein resources and to ensure that the supply of food is sufficient, of good quality and safe to eat.