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MIRI, July 13: A close season refuge centre for tiger prawns off Kuala Baram waters will be in effect for three months beginning August, to give the species sufficient space to breed and grow as prawn harvesting during that period is not allowed within the area.
Deputy Minister for Tourism, Creative Industry and Performing Arts I-cum-Piasau assemblyman Datuk Sebastian Ting said, research on the close season refuge centre for tiger prawns off Kuala Baram waters had been carried out since 1997.
“In order to allow the population of tiger prawns within the Kuala Baram waters to grow, we need to establish this centre and control the harvesting (of the tiger prawns) by local trawler operators,” said Ting when met on today after officiating at an interaction progranme with local fisherfolk in Miri held at Kampung Piasau Utara.
The programme was organised by the Fisheries Department Miri branch.
A total of eight local fishing trawler operators received notice of the close season refuge centre during the programme.
During the close season from August to October, no harvesting of prawns is allowed within the area, which covers 852 square miles.
Ting pointed out, a female tiger prawn could release up to 500,000 eggs during that three-month period.
He added, through a study conducted by the Bintawa Fisheries Research Institute (FRI), it is estimated that Miri is capable of producing as much as 23 metric tonnes of tiger prawns with a projected yield for tiger prawns caught worth RM1.61 million per year.
“According to records, tiger prawn landings in Miri for the period 2015 to 2021 amounted to 91.61 metric tonnes with a sales value of RM6.76 million,” he told the local media.
Hence, Ting lauded the Fisheries Department for their initiative to kick off the project which he described as a unique project that would help generate extra revenue for local fisherfolk for the long-term.
“This one is of two (such iniatiaves) in Malaysia (the last frontier) after Johor,” he said.
Also present were Head of Miri Fisheries Region 3, Rizwan Nordin and Fisheries Research Institute (FRI) Bintawa Senior Research Officer, Nurridan Abd Han. — DayakDaily
