The Malaysian Insight

THE number of recreational or sport fishermen at Tasik Kenyir has plummeted by as much as 80%, said stakeholders, who blame it on the scarcity of fish in the manmade lake in Terengganu.

They are worried the depleting resources will see the popular lake lose its main draw.

They urged the state government to enforce a conservation policy to stop overfishing and depleting catch volume.

“Recreational fishermen used to come every month irrespective of season, but now their numbers have dropped,” said tourism entrepreneur Sulong Mustafa.

He said existing policies should be enforced aggressively for them to be effective.

Sulong told The Malaysian Insight the depletion of fish is due to the widespread use of fishing nets.

He said the state government has banned fishing nets at the lake, but many use them to catch fish as the rule is poorly enforced. 

Houseboat holidays up, fishing down

Sulong said now, recreational fishermen only come during vacations to spend a night or two in a rented houseboat. 

“If it is (just) to fish, they would not come here. Kenyir Lake is no longer the number one go-to spot,” he said.

He said the Lembaga Kemajuan Terengganu Tengah, Wildlife and National Parks Department, and Fisheries Department must improve enforcement.

“The only agency patrolling the lake these days is the marine police, which is inadequate. Tasik Kenyir is huge,” he said.

Sulong said there are efforts to increase the fish population in the lake, such as by releasing fish fry, but he questioned its effectiveness.

Work on the largest manmade lake in Southeast Asia started in 1978, and was completed in 1987.

The lake covers 38,000ha with 30 main rivers and hundreds of tributaries feeding it.

There are at least 25 species of fish known to live in this lake. 

Despite recreational fishermen taking their hobby elsewhere, Tasik Kenyir Tourism Association chairman A. Aziz A. Rahim said this has not affected the number of visitors who come to vacation in houseboats there.

He said the lake is no longer dependent on recreational fishermen.

“It’s true that once upon a time, Tasik Kenyir was only visited by these recreational fishermen, but the tourism sector here has evolved and is growing by the day. 

“Now it’s a destination for families who come to Tasik Kenyir to relax on the houseboats and enjoy the green scenery.

“Fishing? Definitely no longer the ‘in’ thing,” he said.

Overfishing

Aziz said the shrinking fish population is only apparent among unique species like the kelah and temoleh.

“There are still many other species. I wouldn’t say the fish of Tasik Kenyir have decreased.

“If it’s the toman species, there are still many in this lake,” he said.

But experts refute Aziz’s claim. 

Their studies have shown that overfishing and the use of banned fishing equipment have contributed to the depletion of fish in Tasik Kenyir.

Universiti Malaysia Terengganu fisheries technology and fisheries ecology lecturer Mohd Fazrul Hisam Abd Aziz used the three-mesh net as an example.

He said irresponsible parties use this net “without thinking about the sustainability of the fish resources”.

Apart from traditional patrols, Fazrul said enforcement agencies must explore the use of more modern and sophisticated equipment such as drones, echo sounders and satellites to detect illegal fishing activities.

He added the unpredictable weather also has an impact on the natural habitat of fish and their food sources.

Fazrul said the presence of non-native species such as red-tailed carp and freshwater carp could harm native species in the lake. 

“The non-native species are aggressive and would devour the native species,” he said.

High demand for freshwater fish

Another reason for the depleting stock, he said, is due to overfishing to meet the high market demand for freshwater fish.

Fazrul said there is no law on the size of mature fish that can be caught.

He said the authorities must first release local fish fry into the lake.

However, the move should be carefully studied before any action, he said.

“What is important is picking the right location for the release. It must be carefully studied so there is no threat to the fry when they are released.”

He said the area where the fry is released should be temporarily closed to fishermen.

Fazrul said the authorities should also map the fish population regularly so they have a good idea of stock levels in the lake.

The final piece of the puzzle, he said, is to foster close cooperation between the community, authorities and scientists. – June 10, 2023.