Sportfishing : Another Cast for Promoting Eco-Tourism
PANTAI TUNGKU, 14
December 2009,
Sunday - SPORTSFISHING, as a commercial activity, can contribute to
Brunei's growing eco-tourism sector, a sector which the Sultanate has
been focusing on and investing in to diversify the national economy from
its heavy dependence on oil and gas resources.
"This is yet another way we can attract tourists to Brunei," said
Fisheries Director Hjh Hasnah Ibrahim yesterday at the annual Brunei
International Sport Fishing Competition 2009 (Fishcomp Brunei 2009) at
Tungku Beach in Jerudong.
The director, who had been given a mandate by her superiors to promote
eco-tourism earlier this year, explained that among the competition's
aims was to promote sportsfishing in the country.
Jointly organised by the Fisheries Department and local company Captain
Fred Fishing and Marine Supply, the competition drew more than 220
registered participants, with registration still open until midday for
late entries.
"There is quite a good turnout. It's a big improvement from the 180
participants last year," Alfred Yong, owner of Captain Fred Fishing and
Marine Supply, told The Brunei Times.
Yong, who is popularly known as Captain Fred, remarked that the
increased participation in Brunei's largest sportsfishing competition
shows that Bruneians have developed a "very strong interest" in
sportsfishing.
"In the last five years, sportsfishing has grown quite significantly
here. People seem to really enjoy it," he observed.
Captain Fred, who operates a fishing charter through his company, added
that Bruneians were not alone in appreciating the country's rich marine
resources as he explained that he regularly brings in groups of
Singaporean and Malaysian anglers for sportsfishing in Brunei waters.
When asked how Brunei's marine resources could compete with that of
neighbouring countries, Captain Fred said, "Sportsfishermen are like
tourists. They like to try out and fish in different areas".
An avid fisherman himself, Captain Fred said that he takes the
"tourists" to locations such as the "Brunei Dropoff", which is some 70
miles offshore. He said that in these areas, where water depth is about
400 to 500 feet deep, sportsfish such as amberjacks, yellow-fin tunas
and marlins are abundant.
"Brunei has good fishing areas. They are not overfished, but
unfortunately they are far offshore," he added.
However, Captain Fred pointed out that sportsfishing facilities and
infrastructure such as a proper jetty were still lacking in Brunei.
Although, he noted that the government was currently working to rectify
this.
"We are not really there yet but things are improving," he said.
In April this year, Deputy Minister of Industry and Primary Resources
Dato Paduka Hj Hamdillah Hj Abd Wahab set the challenge to the Fisheries
Department to launch marine eco-tourism within this year.
From past reports, infrastructure work on a jetty for those purposes has
already begun along with other initiatives towards the promotion of
marine eco-tourism.
- Courtesy of
the Brunei Times -
