GEORGE TOWN – Being a fisherman is not the usual occupation society pays much attention to but Jaringan Ekologi dan Iklim aims to change that this weekend at the Hin Bus Depot.
Event organiser Andrew Han told The Vibes that the fisherman community in Penang lacks historical documentation and most locals do not know them on a personal level.
“Most people think that fisherfolk are just poor people who lack education, but that is not true.
“With funding, we were able to not only take photos but acquire data, which will be shown at the exhibition; we also managed to calculate the hours they fish, how much they earn, the high seasons and the rest season.
“One thing we realise is that they are equally hardworking as anyone with a vocation.”
Han added that Malaysia produced 86% of its seafood in 2019 but fisheries in the tropics will fall by as much as 30% by 2050 as a result of global ocean warming.
“We want to invite Penangites to come, learn and break the stereotypes they used to have about fishermen and address the issue of food security.”
The data showed fishermen who work 300 days a year, with varied incomes. Those who work fewer days get less income. According to the research, there are those who earn up to RM100,000 a year.
The programmes scheduled for the weekend include a public exhibition on “coastal fishers” where visitors can watch videos and images of the life of fishermen.
There will also be a forum titled The Future of Penang Seafood with Zakaria Ismail, head of the Sg Batu Fisherman unit, and restaurateur and fisherwoman Sharifah Hawa.
Zakaria will be speaking about the richness of marine life in the south of Penang and counter the narrative that the area is dead.
Sharifah will address food security, sustainability and concerns Penang fishermen communities will face in the future.
There will also be a film screening on the subject matter of the high cost of cheap fish, to end the event. – The Vibes, March 4, 2022
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