Only 4% of fish caught in Penang are from reclamation area, says CM

Published by Free Malaysia Today • 09/06/2021 • 02:38 pm

Fishermen in Teluk Kumbar on the south coast of Penang island protesting against the proposed reclamation project in March last year.

GEORGE TOWN: Penang today said claims that fishing would suffer as a result of reclamation on the southern coast was unlikely, as the area only contributed 4% to the fish landing as at 2015.

Chief minister Chow Kon Yeow said this was at a time in 2015 when Penang was experiencing a bumper year in fish landing, with a surplus of about 12,000 tonnes, based on the fisheries department data.

He said due to this scenario, it was highly unlikely that the Penang South Reclamation (PSR) project might cause food insecurity, as often claimed by civil societies and environmental NGOs.

Chow said the reality was 90% of the fishermen in Penang’s southern coast, where the islands would be reclaimed, were deep-sea fishermen who go beyond the eight nautical mile radius.

“It is also important to note that many of these coastal fishermen fish outside the earmarked PSI site.

“It was observed many times that fishermen took their boats far beyond the PSI footprint,” he said in reference to PSR’s new acronym, the Penang South Islands.

Chow said the other 10% were inshore fishermen. He said 530 fishermen from nine fishermen units have registered for benefits from the PSR project, through a social impact management plan.

He said these fishermen would receive boats with engines and four new landing jetties. He said a total of 6,153 have been involved in discussions over the PSR since 2015.

He added that the present challenge involving fishermen was not the reclamation, but the depletion of fish stock in line with a global trend due to overfishing.

Chow reiterated that fishermen were not likely to lose their livelihoods as a result of the reclamation.

“We disagree on cancelling the project. We do not have to choose between PSI, and the environment and fishermen. Technology and engineering advancements can allow us to build the PSI and preserve the environment and the people at the same time.

“We never denied that the project will have an impact but we have always shared with the people how we intend to mitigate the impact, create new habitats for marine life, and provide more jobs and business opportunities for fishermen and other locals,” he said.

Other points mentioned in his response were:

• Island A which is directly below the Penang airport runway would be at least 3m above mean sea level.
• About 20% of the three islands would be reserved for 4km-long mangrove wetlands, floodplains and other green features.
• 5,000 “midrise” affordable homes with transit lines, near canal waterways, public parks, schools, community sports centres and other public amenities will be constructed.
• The PSR/PSI environmental impact assessment approved by the environment department on June 25, 2019, with 72 conditions, include an offset plan to minimise impact and create new habitats for marine life.