(WDRCF/82/WP4)

ANNEX H
COUNTRY SITUATION PAPER - MALAYSIA (Sarawak)

The status of the Rural Coastal Fisheries in Sarawak

by

Suhaili bin Lee

1. INTRODUCTION

1.1 General Background

Situated on the northern part of Borneo, Sarawak is one of the two states in East Malaysia that is adjacent to the South China Sea. Based on the Malaysian Population Census 1980¹ the current population for Sarawak is 1 294 753, of which the main races are Malay, Chinese, Dayak and Melanau. Out of this total population only 8 752² are full-time and 2 918 part-time fishermen (Table 1). Despite the fact that the proportion of fishermen to the total population for the state is slightly over 9 percent, the increase in the number of fishermen (both full-time and part-time) from 1974 to 1980 shows a fairly steady increment.

Being coastal dwellers dispersed along the 655 km coast-line of Sarawak, the Melanau and the Malay are among the predominant races that take up fishing as their main occupation beside the Chinese (Table 2).

The current fishing activities in Sarawak are mainly concentrated within coastal waters. As such offshore fishing is very much less and only confined to trawlers of 40 tons and above. To-date, the most significant fishing activity is capture fisheries as the potential of the other sub-sectors such as coastal aquaculture and offshore fisheries has yet to be explored. This is evidenced by the amount of export of marine fish landings mainly contributed by capture fisheries sub-sector operating in the inshore waters for the past years (Table 3).

1.2 Trend of Capture Fisheries in Sarawak

1.2.1 Fishing crafts

In Sarawak, the number of fishing craft has increased steadily from 4 372 in 1974 to 7 172 in 1980 (Table 4). More than 50 percent of these fishing craft are small in size which are either non-mechanized or equipped with outboard engines. The remaining units are powered by inboard engines mostly below 60 hp (Table 5). Most of these vessels can only fish in waters of less than 30 m deep due to size and engine power limitations.

* Source: Annual Report of Marine Fisheries Department, Sarawak, 1980

* Source: Annual Report of Marine Fisheries Department, Sarawak (1980)

¹ Malaysian Population and Housing Census, 1980. Department of Statistics, Malaysia.
² Marine Fisheries Department of Sarawak Annual Report from 1974–1980.

* Source: Annual Report of Marine Fisheries Department, Sarawak (1980)

1.2.2 Fishing gear

The principal fishing gear commonly used in the State of Sarawak are bottom trawl, seine nets (encircling nets), drift gillnets, hooks and lines, fishing stakes and bag nets. The most important and productive gear in terms of quantity is the trawl which on the average contributed more than 60 percent of the marine fish landings annually from 1974 to 1980.

Drift gillnet of different types are considered to be the modest fishing gear, firstly because the gear ranks second in the order of importance in terms of the annual fish landings; secondly, it is a “passive” selective gear in its nature. The more traditional gear like the bag nets are no less important because most of the poor fishermen are using them to catch prawn. In fact this had been the main gear from prawns before prawn trawling was introduced in the sixties. Table 6 shows the order of importance of the main gear most commonly used in Sarawak in terms of their respective annual landings.

1.2.3 Annual marine fish landings

A survey of the annual marine fish landings for the past seven years shows that there was a steady increase in the landings from 1972 up to 1977 (Fig. 1), but as from 1978 the level of MSY would appear to have been reached. For 1981, the annual marine fish landings are much less than those recorded for 1980 (Table 7).

* Source: Annual Report of Marine Fisheries Department, Sarawak (1974–1980).

* Source: Annual Report of Marine Fisheries Department, Sarawak, (1974–1980)

* Source: Annual Report of Marine Fisheries Department of Sarawak (1974–1980)

1.2.4 Fishing season

In Sarawak, the fishing season usually starts in mid-February and lasts for about 8½ months until early November. During other months, fishing activities are very much affected by the strong monsoon weather in which only big trawlers can operate. The adverse weather conditions directly affect fish landings as indicated in Figs. 2 and 3.

1.2.5 Principal changes experienced by small-scale fishermen pertaining to demographic, social and economic situation

It is a fact that poverty does exist significantly among the small fishermen in the state. To date, there is no concrete conclusion on the rate of poverty among the fishing community, although there has been an effort to carry out poverty study in Sarawak.

Two basic factors are believed to be the roots of the cause of poverty. First, due to lack of capital the fishermen cannot purchase more efficient fishing gear and equipment to facilitate better performance in fishing. Second, the low values of the products are the result of the poor bargaining power of the fishermen. Among others these two factors tend to keep them in status quo.

For the past 10 years however, it is believed that the incidence of poverty among the small-scale fishermen has decreased to a certain extent; this is evidenced by the improved type of housing and the general advances made in the standard of living of the fishermen today as compared with conditions even several years ago.

2. DEVELOPMENT UNDERTAKINGS

2.1 Fisheries Development Policy

The fisheries development policy is formulated based on the New Economic Policy of eradicating poverty, restructuring society and providing employment for the increasing population. The objectives of the fisheries development specifically are as follows:

* Source: Annual Report of Marine Fisheries Department of Sarawak (1974–1980)

1. to develop and exploit to the maximum the fisheries resources in accordance with sound fisheries management practices;

2. to generate employment opportunities in the fisheries sectors by expanding and modernizing fishing production, processing and allied industries;

3. to uplift the socio-economic status of the fishermen by increasing their production and income;

4. to restructure and consolidate the fishing communities; and

5. to enable the fishermen to participate actively in the fishery enterprise through equity participation.

In order to achieve the above objectives, the following programmes have been carried out for the past several years:

1. marine fisheries research programme;
2. development of infrastructure;
3. financial aids and credit facilities;
4. extension and training; and
5. formation of fishermen cooperatives.

The above-mentioned projects are being channelled through the various government agencies namely the Marine Fisheries Department, the Fisheries Development Authority (MAJUIKAN) and the Agricultural Bank of Malaysia. In this respect the Marine Fisheries Department serves as the service department; whereas the MAJUIKAN concentrates on the fishermen association, work together with the establishment of the marketing systems and the Agricultural Bank of Malaysia functions as the financier to the fishermen.

2.2 Fisheries Research Programmes

The Fisheries Department has been embarking on a demersal fish resource annual survey for the past 9 years. The objective of the survey is to monitor the status of the demersal fish resource above 50-metre depth contour of the Sarawak waters.

Another research programme currently being carried out by the department is a prawn resource survey. This programme has just been started in 1979. The objective of this survey is also to monitor the status of prawn resource in the Sarawak waters.

The results of these surveys are expected to be useful to the Management and Enforcement Section in taking their decisions for regulating fishing activities in the state as a whole. It is only then that a certain quota could be determined as to how many new fishing licences can be issued each year to ensure that the number of new entries is realistically determined.

2.3 Development of Infrastructure

In an effort to provide the basic needs for the fishermen in the state the government through the Marine Fisheries Department of Sarawak has been providing the shore-based facilities especially fish landing jetties and navigation guiding lights. Since 1976 the department has been allocated a sum of M$12.8 million (US$5.6 million) for the construction of these supporting and other infrastructural facilities throughout the state. Being an ongoing project, the department has a fixed plan to provide more landing jetties and other facilities by the year 1985.

Fig. 1 The trend of annual fish and prawn landings in Sarawak (1970–1980)

Fig. 2 Trends of import and export of fish and fishery products of Sarawak (1970–1980)

Fig. 3 Variations in the landings of marine fish prawn by month for the year 1977

The Fisheries Development Authority (MAJUIKAN) is also working along the same line in meeting the basic needs of the fishermen. In this respect, it has provided cold rooms for cold storing purposes in almost all fishermen association centres.

2.4 Financial Aids and Credit Facilities

The Marine Fisheries Department, Sarawak has been implementing also financial aid programmes since 1976 similar to those in Peninsular Malaysia. To date about M$9.6 million (US$4.17) has been spent and about 2 000 small fishermen have received the benefits of these programmes.

The Agricultural Bank of Malaysia is providing credit facilities to the fishermen in an effort to improve the standard of living of the fishermen.

2.5 Extension and Fishermen Training

The Marine Fisheries Department operates extension and training programmes to provide the necessary assistance to the fishermen. The objective is to improve the operational efficiency and the post-harvest handling techniques among the small-scale fishermen so that their production could be increased. The extension programme is carried out through the publication of pamphlets, talks and demonstrations, using the radio. Fishermen training on the other hand, is conducted on site through short courses each lasting about a week. It is also carried out in the training schools in Peninsular Malaysia for more extensive courses.

2.6 Fishermen's Association

In Sarawak, fishermen in big fishing centres are also organized into fishermen's associations (cooperatives) with the objective to provide basic services to their numbers. The responsibility to manage these associations is vested with the Fisheries Development Authority.

It is through these associations that the fishermen could organize various economic activities such as marketing facilities for their catch and retail shops where they can get the supply for their daily needs. To initiate these commercial projects, the government provide them with launching grants and revolving funds through the MAJUIKAN.

3. PROBLEM PRESENTLY CONFRONTING THE SMALL FISHERMEN

3.1 Resource Aspects

The available fisheries resources can be classified into two types, namely the inshore resource and the offshore resource. In this paper, the discussion would be focused on the inshore resource since the small fishermen is dependent on this particular resource.

It is believed that the demersal fish resource in the inshore waters of Sarawak have been well exploited. This is supported by the latest report on the assessment of the demersal fish resource (excluding prawn) by the Fisheries Research Section of the Marine Fisheries Department of Sarawak. As for the coastal pelagic resource, it is generally believed that the resource is still promising.

It can be noted from Table 6 that for the past years trawl fishing contributes an average of more than 60 percent of the total annual landings. Since trawling for fish depends solely on the demersal resource, it can be anticipated that the depletion of the demersal fish resource would significantly affect the total annual fish landings.

Table 8 indicates that the standing stock decreased dramatically from 149 030 tons in 1972 to 99 237 tons in 1980, as in the case of potential yield it also decreased correspondingly over the years. If one compares the corresponding figures of potential yield and commercial trawl catch each year, one will realize the overexploited state of the demersal resource.

At this point in time, there is an urgent need for proper control and management of the fishing activities in the inshore area in order to recover and maintain the demersal resource at a sustainable level.

3.2 Cost and Earning of Fishing Operations

So far there is no study conducted specifically to determine the actual information on cost and earning of fishing operations. Nevertheless, the trend at present is that the fishermen have to expand more effort (fishing hours) for less catch. Thus, higher operating costs and lower catch rate per fishing day are adversely affecting the level of earning of the fishermen.

The basic reason for the higher operating costs is mainly due to the increase in the price of fuel oil and block ice, two of the most important items in fishing operation. At the same time, the reduced catch per day coupled with a lowering of the quality of the catch due to poor handling and storage facilities on board further affects the level of earnings adversely. Thus, the earnings of the fishermen continue to maintain a declining trend.

3.3 Marketing System

The present small fishermen in Sarawak sell their catch directly to the fish dealers or often called middlemen. The middlemen usually provide credit facilities to the fishermen and in most cases they determine the quality and the price of the fish. This therefore, is a problem by itself where the fishermen are always at the mercy of the middlemen.

The fishermen in remote rural areas have a more acute problem of marketing their catch. In some cases they have to preserve their catch (by salting, smoking or drying) before they can sell them due to a lack of supporting transport or distribution systems to relay their catch in fresh form immediately to commercial centres. As a result, those fishermen tend to get a lower value for their catch.

* Source: Research Report on the Assessment of Demersal Resource of the Coast of Sarawak from 1972–1980

3.4 Infrastructure

The supporting infrastructure is not sufficient for the fishermen in Sarawak mainly because of the scattered location and remoteness of fishing villages. It is therefore, very difficult for the government agencies to provide all the fishing villages with landing jetties and other infrastructural facilities. Another noteworthy shortcoming is a lack of road system to serve fishing villages making it difficult for the fishermen to relay their catch to the nearest towns.

Ice is widely used by fishermen near the towns, but for fishermen in remote fishing villages ice is difficult to come by. Even if available, the price of ice is often 30 percent higher making it uneconomical to use.

Refrigeration is not used on board fishing boats in Sarawak even in the case of big trawlers.

3.5 Social Problems

The rate of illiteracy among the Sarawak fishermen is about 52 percent and only about 42 percent have attended formal schooling up to standard six (6) years basic education.

The problem of illiteracy is clearly reflected by their attitude toward accepting new ideas and concepts. Thus, very often the fishermen tend to be quite slow in understanding the rationale behind the government projects.

Another social problem which is no less important is the fact that fishing villages are scattered and remote. In most cases therefore, the government project cannot be implemented efficiently.

There tends to be insufficient social amenities which result in poor living conditions and health.

3.6 Economic Problems

One important economic problem is the lack of capital for the fishermen to purchase their own fishing gear and equipment (including engine and boat). In Sarawak, there are at least 1 670 fishing craft (1980) which are still nonpowered, thus restricting their fishing area and range and confining their operation to traditional grounds.

With the establishment of the Agricultural Bank of Malaysia the problem of financing is somewhat improved, but there are still many fishermen requiring help in terms of bank loan. Apart from the Agricultural Bank of Malaysia, other private financial institutions are quite reluctant to give loan for fisheries projects due to high risk and absence of collaterals.

The increasing costs of fuel oil especially in the remote rural area continue to raise the level of operating cost. This results in reduced income to the fishermen which will make the upgrading of their living standard difficult.

4. DISCUSSION

The fishing industry has played a significant role in the social and economic setting of the state. It is therefore vital that the industry should further be developed to enhance its contribution. In this connection, the government agencies should continue to concentrate their efforts to improve and uplift the socio-economic status of the small-scale fishermen. At the same time they should explore other potential subsectors such as offshore fisheries and coastal aquaculture as alternative engagements and/or incomes to these fishermen.

Since the inshore resources have been fully exploited, there is therefore an urgent need to control and regulate fishing activities in inshore waters especially with respect to trawl fishing.

Coastal aquaculture appears to offer considerable development potential. In this respect, the small fishermen could be encouraged to take up coastal aquaculture projects as an alternative to their present inshore fishing activities, since there should be a great potential for the coastal aquaculture to be developed in Sarawak. This is possible because of the tremendous vast mangrove swamps along the coastline which can be converted into highly productive aquaculture ponds.

There are however, basic problems which should be sorted out before coastal aquaculture fisheries can be introduced to the fishermen. Among others, a feasibility study should be conducted to identify areas suitable for the development. The fisheries field staff should be given proper training in the subject to enable them to guide fishermen. The fishermen themselves should be properly exposed to the chosen aquaculture practices.

As mentioned in Section 3, many fishing villages in Sarawak are scattered in the remote areas and in most cases communication by road is impossible. Thus, it is often difficult for the government agencies to implement development projects in these fishing centres. In this connection, the author is of a personal view that an integrated development and resettlement programme should be adopted in certain areas in order that the various government agencies can concentrate to develop the industry in a more systematic approach. In implementing this programme, many government agencies should be involved and their participation should be properly coordinated. It is therefore expected that with this approach, the present problems of the small fishermen could be resolved.

REFERENCES

Gambang, Albert G. et al 1982. Assessment of demersal resource off the coast of Sarawak from 1972–1980 (unpublished).

Annual report of Marine Fisheries Department, Sarawak (1970–1980).

Dialog No. 8, A study of artisanal fishermen - a summary of preliminary findings, M.C.D.S. Sarawak branch. (December 1977).

Draft final report on the feasibility study for fisheries development in Sabah and Sarawak by Universal Marine Consultant Co. Ltd., in association with L.C. Management Consultant Sdn. Bhd. (1980).

Hashim, Wan. Communiti nelayan di pulau Pangkor (1980).