SARAWAKIANS are staring at a serious shortage of fish and surging market prices as more than 200 operators of fishing fleets have gone on strike throughout the state.
The strike starting today covers more than 200 licenced fishing companies stretching from Kuching to Sibu, Mukah, Bintulu and Miri.
The Sarawak Fishing Vessels Association in a press statement, said the strike by all its members is over a move by the state fisheries authorities to compel all fishing trawlers to be installed with a new satellite tracking device.
Its president Tan Joo Seng said, "The fisheries authorities had refused to listen to appeals from the association to reconsider the mandatory regulation".
"We have no choice but to resort to drastic measures by going on strike.
"The new tracking device that the fisheries department in this state wants us to install in every trawler costs up to RM 6,000 per unit.
"Every year, each trawler has to pay up to RM2,000 for satellite tracking services and these annual fees are also mandatory.
"Last year, we were also compelled to pay thousands of ringgit for similar devices but they were never installed despite payments made.
"We cannot go on paying for such things as our members are all struggling with rising operations costs and we have no choice but to stop going out to sea," he said.
Bintulu MP and Progressive Democratic Party president Datuk Seri Tiong King Sing said this strike is going to impact food supplies for the whole state.
"It will result in a serious shortage of fish and will affect the supplies for the coming Chinese New Year.
"Very soon we will see a surge in prices of fish and related products as the shortage worsens.
"I urge the fisheries authorities to be reasonable and immediately convene a dialogue with the fishing operators," Tiong said.
He said he agrees with the fishing operators association that paying a huge sum of money to install the devices plus thousands more yearly for satellite services are not reasonable. - January 6, 2025
