22 JUNE 2017 • WORLD AQUACULTURE • WWW.WAS.ORG Sayak. In addition, most national universities undertake research in aquaculture and provide undergraduate and post-graduate programs in aquaculture. DOF has two training centers for marine aquaculture and two stations for freshwater aquaculture. Action Plans for Sustainable Development To ensure a proper and sustainable development of aquaculture in Malaysia, the MOA has formulated an action plan for large- and small-scale operations. The participation of the corporate sector is essential to spearhead the growth of industrial aquaculture but contributions from small-scale producers are also important. The action plan includes the Aquaculture Industrial Zone (AIZ) concept for coastal zone management where suitable areas are identified and allocated for aquaculture use. It has been the policy of the government to avoid clearing mangroves for shrimp farming, especially in Peninsular Malaysia. Unproductive agricultural land with access to brackish water or seawater and coastal belts with no mangroves are presently the preferred locations for shrimp farming development. Such sites are in fact cheaper to develop and likely to be more productive and without the acid-sulphate soil problems associated with mangrove wetlands. The target of the National Aquaculture Plan is to increase the contribution from aquaculture to 50 percent or 1.44 million t of the total fish production by 2020. The export value of aquaculture, including fish fillet products, is expected to increase from RM 1.4 billion (USD 0.35 billion) in 2010 to RM 3.2 billion by 2020 (USD 0.80 billion). To achieve this production target, the DOF has formulated three main strategies. The first strategy is to accelerate growth of aquaculture development driven by the private sector through the National Key Economic Area (NKEA) projects. Secondly, it intends to increase productivity of existing aquaculture systems by strengthening the Good Aquaculture Practices (GAP) program. The third strategy is to restructure aquaculture development based on a cluster approach in suitable areas and develop new aquaculture zones, particularly in Sabah and Sarawak, West Malaysia. Production of aquaculture products for export will focus on tilapia, groupers, Asian seabass, lobster, oyster and marine shrimp with good market potential in Singapore, Hong Kong, US, EU, Japan, Russia and China. National Key Economic Area (NKEA) Projects The government’s role is to create a business-friendly environment and facilitate entrepreneurship. The government has planned specific initiatives and projects under the 11MP which includes a whole spectrum of upgrading the delivery system and supporting services such as infrastructure, training, market promotion, R&D and enhancing product quality. Fiscal and nonfiscal incentives are provided to stimulate growth of the aquaculture industry. The Malaysian government has identified aquaculture as one of the main thrust areas for the agro-food sector under the Economic Transformation Program (ETP). There are 16 agro-food Entry Point Projects (EPP) of the NKEA in aquaculture. The investment for these 16 EPPs and business opportunities is estimated at RM18.9 billion (USD 4.72 billion) where 70 percent will come from the private sector (local and foreign) and the balance from the government. There is an expectation that 70 percent of private sector investment will be derived from domestic sources. Overall, the agro-food NKEA targets the creation of 74,000 job opportunities and to double or quadruple farm income. Aquaculture projects listed under NKEAs receive prioritized government support. The NKEA project focuses on transforming a traditionally small-scale, production-based sector into a large-scale aquabusiness industry. Basically it is a private sector-driven growth and offers private sector involvement and investment opportunities through Entry Point Projects (EPPs) and Business Opportunities (BOs). While EPP program is to spur growth in food production, program under BOs is more toward establishing aquaculture opportunities for future growth such as branding and marketing. Here, three aquaculture sectors have been identified: ornamental fish farming, aquaculture feed mills and aquaculture export centers. Entry Point Projects At present, DOF is involved in three EPPs to capitalize on Malaysia’s competitive advantages: commercial-scale seaweed farming in Sabah, integrated cage aquaculture systems and integrated shrimp aquaculture zones. During the four years of its implementation, DOF has engaged with 17 companies for commercial-scale seaweed farming in Sabah, 10 companies for farming with integrated cage aquaculture systems and 8 companies with an integrated production model to tap the market for premium shrimp. The aim of the EPP on seaweed farming is for a high-yielding, commercial-scale business by clustering farms under a mini-estate initiative. The production of seaweed is expected to rise from the current level of <20,000 t dry weight to 150,000 t dry weight by 2020. The EPP on cage farming is to increase production of high-value fish species, among which are the Asian seabass, groupers, snappers and tilapia. By 2020 fish production under this initiative is expected to increase to 28 percent of the total volume of aquaculture production in Malaysia. Currently cage culture accounts for less than 10 percent of total aquaculture production. In the shrimp farming sector, the goal of the EPP is to increase production of fully-certified export-quality shrimp for premium markets. This will be achieved by establishing “integrated zone for aquaculture” models that consist of networks of industrial-scale and land-based aquaculture zones, with each zone equipped with integrated infrastructure consisting of hatcheries, grow-out areas, processing plant and feed mill, championed by an anchor company. Opportunities and Challenges Malaysia offers good potential for investment due to its good infrastructure, government support, political stability, and availability of abundant natural resources, e.g. water bodies and land. It is the objective of DOF and MOA to manage aquaculture as an economic, profitable and sustainable industry in the long run. The government plans to continue to provide support services and facilitate private sector investment. The aquaculture industry has been challenged by trans-boundary aquatic animal diseases. Increases in operational cost such as for commercial fish feeds is a burden for small-scale farmers, leading to a high cost of farm operations and low profit margins. Another challenge faced is a dependency on foreign labor, with 7,850 registered foreign workers involved in aquaculture activities in Malaysia. Climate change represents a long-term challenge for aquaculture in the country.
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy MjExNDY=