Fishing Village Residents Get Guidance from MIPR
MENTIRI, 20 May 2010,
Thursday - RESIDENTS of Kg Batu Marang fishing village yesterday
received guidance from the Ministry of Industry and Primary Resources (MIPR)
and its Fisheries Department on how to ensure that their catch of the
day remains top quality when they go to market.
Under a one-day programme on proper fish handling and responsible
fishing at the residence of the penghulu of Mukim Mentiri and Kg Batu
Marang village chief Pengarah Hj Abd Rahman Hj Naim, the residents
witnessed a demonstration by Fisheries personnel on the recommended
method of storing fish to keep it fresh and undamaged in the transit to
the wet markets.
Minister of Industry and Primary Resources Pehin Orang Kaya Seri Utama
Dato Seri Setia Hj Yahya Begawan Mudim Dato Paduka Hj Bakar officiated
the demonstration and the programme, and was joined by senior ministry
officials and Fisheries Director Hjh Hasnah Ibrahim.
The minister highlighted that the programme was aimed to "increase the
quality of the fish caught, by maintaining its freshness throughout the
journey to the market and minimising damage to the fish". He said that
by doing this, the fish can fetch higher prices, giving greater returns
to the fishermen.
"Presently, we are seeing a number of local fisheries products starting
to be sold at supermarkets throughout the country. Nonetheless, what we
are aiming for is that the local products are of the same quality as
that of foreign products, from the aspect of packaging and
presentation," Pehin Dato Hj Yahya said.
He felt that there was still room for improvement in the local seafood
processing and capture fisheries industries so that production can
fulfill the country's demand.
He added that this would decrease the need to import seafood products as
a percentage of the country's seafood products are still supplied from
overseas.
In helping to increase local supply, the minister proposed that the
residents of Kg Batu Marang upgrade their business from operating within
their own homes to a more suitable layout that complies with the
Fisheries Department's guidelines for seafood processing.
The minister also urged everyone to take care of Brunei's waters,
especially shore-side areas where fish spawn grow to ensure the
continuity of this resource for future generations.
Pehin Dato Hj Yahya advocated the practice of responsible fishing
through selective fishing methods such as using fishing poles and bubu,
a traditional wire mesh and wood-framed cage with an opening at one end
to catch certain-sized fish while letting smaller fish swim through
safely.
- Courtesy of
the Brunei Times -
