This report is on the preparation and interpretation of an aquaculture land and water use geographical information system (GIS) for Johor State. It illustrates a microcomputer-automated GIS application for aquaculture development. The report is intended as a guide for additional state-level land and water use GISs in Malaysia.
Recent surveys of technical assistance to aquaculture in developing countries (Coche and Demoulin, 1986; Nash, 1986; Satia, 1986; UNDP/NMDC/FAO, 1987) point to difficulties in formulating and implementing policy and plans for development as major constraints to aquaculture development. Increasing the competence of developing countries to plan for aquaculture development has been identified as one of the priority areas for attention by FAO (FAO, 1987).
A problem underlying policy and planning in aquaculture is that it has been difficult to make comprehensive analyses of the suitability of the environment and of the human and economic resources available for development. However, the means to facilitate evaluations of aquaculture potential are now available in the form of computer-automated GISs. A GIS combines computer hardware and software to store, manipulate and analyse data of diverse kinds with a common geographical base. With such automation, reporting can be in the form of tables and thematic maps. For aquaculture development, the thematic maps show the optimum locations for culture facilities according to siting criteria. The tables provide the surface areas available for development at each site.
Many natural resource and environmental applications have been found for GIS, including country-wide inventories for development (Conant et al., 1983). Applications of GIS in aquaculture are only now beginning to be reported (Kapetsky, McGregor and Nanne, 1987; Kapetsky, Hill and Worthy, 1988; Meaden, 1987). The usefulness of the technology has been established in other fields and it is now timely to introduce it to aquaculture.
Fish is the major protein source in the diet of Malaysians, contributing about 60 percent of protein from animals. The present fish catch in Malaysia is insufficient to meet demand. The Government of Malaysia is rectifying this situation by expanding aquaculture.
The most important aquaculture systems in Peninsular Malaysia are cockle culture on coastal mudflats and freshwater fish culture in cages. In brackishwater and marine areas cage culture of fish and pond culture of shrimps and fish are important because of the high value of these products. In 1986 cockle culture produced nearly 46 000 t, culture of fish in cages 955 t and pond culture of shrimp 303 t (Table 1) (Anon., 1987). Marine fish farming in cages is fast growing. From 1985 to 1986 the increase in area was about 35 percent.
Government policy emphasizes the expansion of aquaculture by private commercial enterprises, but Government has the responsibility to establish a land and water use policy. In the Federation of Malaysia, land and water use allocations are state functions. The role of the Department of Fisheries is to assist the states by providing the basic information required to formulate land and water use policies and areas suitable for aquaculture development.
| System | Administrative Area | |
| Johor State | Peninsula | |
| Brackishwater Ponds | ||
| Units | 302 | 563 |
| ha | 396 | 476 |
| t | 245 | 303 |
| Floating Cages | ||
| Units | 2 753 | 8 740 |
| m2 | 27 202 | 82 259 |
| t | 440 | 955 |
| Cockle on Mudflats | ||
| ha | 60 | 4 446 |
| t | 104 | 45 664 |
SOURCE: Anon., 1987
The Government has set a target of opening and developing 21 000 ha for prawn (marine shrimp) farming by the year 2000.
The FAO Technical Cooperation Programme project entitled “Land and Water Use Planning for Aquaculture Development” (TCP/MAL/6754) became operational in Malaysia in January 1988.
The objectives of the project were: (1) to train Department of Fisheries personnel on GIS technology and applications in aquaculture; and (2) to compile an aquaculture development GIS. The output of the GIS locations and associated surface areas optimum for various kinds of aquaculture development, is information basic to land and water use planning for aquaculture.
Johor is the state in which aquaculture is developing most rapidly (Figure 1). In addition to providing nearly one-half of the total Peninsular Malaysia production from floating cages and about 80 percent of the production from ponds (Table 1), a new shrimp farming enterprise is to become one of the world's largest. Accordingly, Johor was made the focus for the land and water use plan. Opportunities for semi-intensive shrimp farming in ponds were given first priority, and culture of fish in floating cages second priority for the development of the aquaculture land and water use GIS.
Training of six fishery officers commenced on 13 January 1988 at the Fisheries Research Institute in Glugor, Penang. On 6 February the field verification exercise began in Johor State and it ended on 10 February. The FAO project staff consisted of an instructor on GIS applications in aquaculture who also coordinated the project and a systems analyst who provided the training on microcomputer-automated GIS analysis. A list of staff and trainees is given in Appendix 1.
The trainees participated fully and actively in the formulation of the GIS. Spatial criteria for aquaculture development and appropriate ranges for environmental variables were taken up in lectures and group discussions led by the applications instructor. Decisions were based on the literature, but modified where necessary by the knowledge and experience of the trainees all of whom are technical officers in aquaculture or fisheries.
