Minister urges communities to spare juvenile, spawning fish to secure future supply

By DayakDaily Team

SEBAUH, Aug 19: Responsible fishing practices are crucial to preserving fisheries resources, including allowing juvenile and spawning fish to remain undisturbed so populations can be sustained for future generations.

According to a report by Sarawak Public Communications Unit (Ukas), Minister for Food Industry, Commodity and Regional Development Dato Sri Dr Stephen Rundi Utom urged communities to avoid harvesting small fish and prawns, as well as fish carrying eggs, to enable natural reproduction.

“If a fish is carrying eggs, do not catch it and bring it home. Let it reproduce so that we will continue to have plenty of fish,” he said when speaking at the Agriculture Community Outreach Programme (AGRICOP) at Rumah Renang Berita yesterday (Aug 18).

Dr Rundi also reminded the public, especially the fishing community, to refrain from using destructive fishing methods, including poison and other harmful substances that could damage river ecosystems.

He stressed that safeguarding natural resources was a shared responsibility and called for greater awareness to ensure future generations could continue to benefit from them.

“The sustainability of these resources is our responsibility. We must ensure they are preserved so that future generations can also enjoy them,” he said.

He added that responsible fisheries management was vital for maintaining healthy fish stocks and supporting the livelihoods of communities that depend on the sector.

Also present were political secretary to the Premier of Sarawak Collin Patan, Sarawak Agriculture Department director Dominic Chunggat, Sebauh District officer Thaddeus Ling Bartholomew Allu, and the Tuai Rumah of Renang Berita. — DayakDaily

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