By Peter Sibon
BAKUN, Belaga, Nov 22: Universiti Malaysia Sarawak (Unimas) has achieved a breakthrough of sorts with one of its innovations — a caged fish rearing method. It has been adopted by the State Inland Fishery Department, by the previous federal Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation (Mosti), and now by the Ministry of Energy, Science, Technology, Environment and Climate Change.
According to Unimas deputy dean of Applied and Creative Arts Associate Professor Dr Saiful Bahari Mohd Yusoff, the innovative product called ‘Unimas Smart Fish Farming (USFF)’ has been patented by Koperasi Belia Belaga Berhad for empurau rearing at Long Jelini, upstream of the Bakun Hydroelectric Power (HEP) Dam lake.
“We can customise the product. We can breed and grow indigenous fish such as empurau (here in Long Jelini) and also for crabs, like the project in Pulau Salak.
“We can also work with the local community here, and they can develop it (the product) on their own with our assistance,” Saiful told reporters after the release of empurau fries at Long Jelini by Assistant Minister of Agriculture Dr Abdul Rahman Ismail and Belaga assemblyman Datuk Liwan Lagang yesterday.
He added that the product could be used and be adopted in any water system and locality as it is made of cheap materials like fibreglass and wood.
“We prefer fibreglass rather than nettings because it can protect the fish or crabs from predators, such as otters,” he explained.
Saiful stressed that the innovation could be useful to improve the Tagang System to minimise fish fry mortality rate.
He said with the new innovative system, the mortality rate of fish fry could be reduced; thus, it would benefit the farmers. — DayakDaily
