Turtle deaths: Terengganu govt orders fisheries dept to step up enforcement

KUALA TERENGGANU: The Terengganu Fisheries Department has been instructed to step up enforcement to curb the use of unauthorised fishing equipment as they are among the main causes of turtle deaths in the state.

State Agriculture, Agro-based Industries and Rural Development Committee chairman Dr Azman Ibrahim said enforcement must be carried out more seriously and comprehensively so that deaths of turtles, especially from being trapped in fishermen's nets, were not repeated.

"I have directed the Terengganu Fisheries Department to boost the enforcement. In fact, I, myself had gone out to sea to join enforcement operations.

"The state government is very firm in this matter. Anybody who perpetrates an act which is against regulations must be punished," he said when contacted by Bernama today.

Since early this year, 26 cases of turtle deaths have been reported in Terengganu, mostly involving the Green sea species.

Studies conducted by the Rantau Abang Fisheries Research Institute (FRI) found that 45 per cent of turtles died after being snagged in gillnets, 38 per cent after being trapped in trawler nets and the rest were killed after being hit by propellers or consuming plastics.

The Malaysian Fisheries Department does not permit the use of nets exceeding 25 centimetres (10 inches) but still many fishermen do not comply with the specification.

Commenting further, Dr Azman, who is also Jabi assemblyman, said that other than enforcement, programmes to boost awareness among fishermen must always be conducted.

Queried on further actions carried out by the state government to ensure the threatened marine animal species were protected, Dr Azman said RM846,000 had been channelled for conservation activities last year.

"Of the total, RM630,000 was from the state government while RM216,000 from the federal government," he said.

"This allocation encompassed the cost of management and development such as wages for workers, small repairs to hatcheries, gotong royong programmes, maintenance of facilities at the sanctuary and upgrading of workers' houses at the turtle conservation centre," said Azman.

According to Azman, the state government was very serious in the turtle conservation effort and this was proven through the measure to ban the sale of turtle and terrapin eggs in the state from next June 1.

"Because of love for the turtles, the state government amended the Turtle Enactment 1951 and numerous awareness campaigns have been made.

"And these efforts need the co-operation of all quarters including traders not to sell the eggs and people not to consume turtle eggs anymore," he said.

He said, with the numerous initiatives and increase in enforcement, it was hoped that the Terengganu tourism icon could be conserved for future generations.

-- BERNAMA