Fishermen are dumping their produce as well

CORONAVIRUS | The movement control order (MCO) which mandated closure of some wholesale markets and discouraged some logistics providers, is wreaking havoc on the fisheries industry.

Some fishermen are unable to get their products to consumers and are forced to dump their catch back into the sea.

According to Malaysia Fish Industries General Association president Chia Tian Hee, the losses faced by association members are estimated to be in the millions.

"That was our estimate for last week. It's not a small amount. We can't keep all of it in refrigerators [...] we just have to throw it away," he said when contacted by Malaysiakini.

On a viral video showing fishermen dumping their catch, Chia said that happened in waters off-Perak on March 21.

He said the fishermen were supposed to send their catch to a factory but the factory had been ordered to close.

However, he said that the factory was eventually allowed to open with conditions after the association reported the matter to the Fisheries Development Authority (LKIM).

"The Perak LKIM helped us [...] the factory can open but with staff strength limited to just 50 percent," he said.

"LKIM has been doing a lot [...] but because of reduced staff numbers, it's difficult to process the catch and so some fish will still have to be thrown away because there is just no market for it."

Chia said that the government should review the supply chain for the fisheries industry because if one part of the chain is disrupted, the entire industry is affected.

"We don't just catch fish. There are logistics and processing involved as well.

"Fishermen are not restricted (by the MCO). They are encouraged to catch more. But if the chain is disrupted, a lot of it goes to waste," he said.

Meanwhile, Johor South Fishermen Association chairperson Azli Mohd Azis said the situation was similar in the state.

"We can't keep the stock for more than five days because the fish will no longer be fresh and we have to buy ice, which adds to cost.

"This week alone we've thrown away about 100kg worth of fish," he said.

He said the problem in Johor was the closure of some wholesale markets, limiting the number of places fishermen can sell their catch.

Moreover, he said demand has dropped as people are abiding by the MCO and are staying home.

"Our members sell their catch at a pasar owned by the association. They earn their wages daily. If they don't sell, there's no income.

"The problem is there are no customers. So we have too much fish and we are forced to throw away a lot of it," he said.

He said the drop in demand had also caused the price for some species of fish to fall drastically.

"We used to buy black pomfret for RM30 per kg from fishermen. Now it's RM20 per kg.

"If sellers buy fish at (the normal price) from fishermen, they are going to make a loss because no one is buying," he added.

Fisheries Department director-general Munir Mohd Nawi told Malaysiakini that these are isolated incidents and believed that the problem has been solved.

"From what I understand, it's isolated. However, processing factories should contact LKIM and the International Trade and Industry Ministry for help," he said. - Mkini