A REPORT ON

PRACTICAL TRAINING AT KUALA KEDAH FISHING ZONE

FISHING TECHNIQUE AND OPERATION
ON 18 – 19 FEBUARY 2010

Prepared by
R B KENNEDY ENIS
BACHELOR’S DEGREE IN MARINE TECHNOLOGY

UNIVERSITI TEKNOLOGI MARA PERLIS

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 TABLE OF CONTENTS

NO TITLE PAGE

1 Table of Contents i

2 List of Figures i

3 Overview 1

4 Findings 3

5 Recommendations 9

6 Conclusion 11

7 References 11

LIST OF FIGURES

NO TITLE PAGE

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 1 Fishing Location 1

2 Fishery Ports at Kuala Kedah 4

3 Fishing Vessels 5

4 Purse Seine Preparation by Fishermen 6

5 Purse Seine Operation 7

6 Scooping Process 8

7 Ikan Kembong or Indian Mackeral 9

8 Modern Fish Agreegation Devices (FADs) 10

1.0 Overview

1.1 Background of Study

On 18 and 19 February 2010, my friend and I had the opportunity to undergone

trawl training conducted by local fisherman from Kuala Kedah in the Straits of

Malacca. The location of the trawl operation was conducted in the fishing zone

between Kuala Kedah and Langkawi Island which was about 18 nautical miles

from the fishing port of Kuala Kedah. This training was compulsory to every

student programs Bachelor of Marine Technology to fulfill the academic

requirements under the Fishing Techniques and Operation (MAR 570) subjects

taught by Miss Anis Sabirin Mohd Radzi. The training method was used

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 fishing vessels measured approximately 15 meters long, 4 meters wide and 7

meters high, together with the purse seine trawl equipment.

The purse seine, the most commonly used seine, employs large sections of net

with floats along the top edge and weights along the net bottom. Purse seines

are set in the water in a circle using a small boat called a skiff. Once the fish

are encircled, the bottom is pulled together to close the net around the fish.

1.2 Objectives

The objectives of this study were:

a. to experience actual working conditions as fisherman, and

b. to view and learn the operations of fishing, and

c. to find business opportunities as fishermen or marine fish-related

1.3 Problem Statements

The following were some problems faced during the training process:

a. crowding on board, and

b. trawl operation cannot be seen clearly as done in the night time, and

c. confused and do not know what task need to do, and

d. sleepy

1.4 Scope of Study

This study only covers as following:

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 a. fishing zone of Kuala Kedah, and

b. purse seine fishing operations

1.5 Significant of Study

As a student, this kind of activity able to further increase knowledge about

fishing operations where the students feel their own experience of fishing with

local fishermen. Consequently, students can also view and assess business

opportunities of this food product.

Besides that, students could make comparison on fishing technology in

Malaysia with technology in overseas, hence students could think and create

new technology in fishing for improvement fishing technology in Malaysia

during produce their project thesis later.

2.0 Findings

2.1 Kuala Kedah Fishery Port

There were two ports for marine fishery in Kuala Kedah namely old LKIM

complex port and new LKIM complex port. These ports were regulated by the

Department of Fisheries Malaysia. The old LKIM complex port is small and it

is not sufficient for landing large amount of fishes due to increasing number of

trawler, purse seine and other fishing boats.

Meanwhile, the new LKIM complex port was not too far from the old LKIM

complex port which was about 2 kilometers. The new LKIM complex just

begun operating in July 2009 and only purse seine fishing vessels and other

small fishing boats can dock at the port due to swallow depth. However, the

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 fish landing area was large compared with the fish landing area at old LKIM

complex where it can accommodate more than seven fishing vessels at a time.

Among other services provided by the new LKIM complex was a freezing

storage which it can accommodate more than a thousand tons of fish at a time

2.2 Fishing Vessel

There were various types of fishing vessels in the ports of Kuala Kedah and

most were available for commercial purposes. For the purpose of learning, one

medium-sized of fishing vessels made from wood measured about 15 meters

long, 4 meters wide and 7 meters high has been hired by UiTM and the fishing

vessels are equipped with facilities such as cooking, bed and toilet.

This fishing vessel was divided into four levels where the engine room and

freezing storage at the bottom level while level two and level three was for bed

space. The vessels control central lies at the top level that were equipped with

communication tools and SONAR display.

Half of the vessel was filled with fishing tools such as trawl, ropes, mechanical

equipments and many more to undergo a purse seine fishing type. Sea Water

Refrigeration (SWF) system was used to store fishes, it can maintain the

freshness of the fish before it is distributed to wholesalers. This vessel had

twelve barrels of storage fish. According to the owner, such as fishing vessel

price per unit was approximately RM 1.2 million.

2.3 Crews

Fishing operations is dependent on the number and expertise of each crew to

get satisfactory results particularly in the trawl operation that requires a lot of

manpower. During training, there were approximately 15 workers who work as

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 full-time fishermen headed by the owner of the vessels. Most of the workers

were Siam descent and the rest were local. The owner of the fishing vessel that

served as a ship’s rudder, he was also responsible for detecting fish using

SONAR.

2.4 Fishing Operations

In purse seine operations, this method seems more difficult to operate as

required experience and expertise each of the fishermen. However, if it is

operated with a systematic, purse seine operations will run smoothly and

quickly as well as bring a satisfactory result.

2.4.1 Purse Seine Preparation

Preparation for the purse seine is very important to avoid any errors or

defects which could thwart the operation. While in the training, before

the purse seine was released into the sea, it has been reviewed

repeatedly by the fishermen.

This trawl had two important parts that need to be taken into account,

bottom part and upper part, where the bottom was fitted with ballast,

while the top has been fitted with float. The ballasts or weights used

were made of iron and tin that corrosion-resistant, estimated weight of

the ballast was approximately 5 kg each. These weights have been

compiled in order to avoid stuck with each other when it released into

the sea.

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 2.4.2 Purse Seine Deployment

Once the trawl has been reviewed and scrutinized, the trawl have been

discharged into the sea by the end of the net has been installed with the

blinking red light marker. Then, the fishing vessel has been making a

big circle to surround a group of fish that have been detected by

SONAR.

When the end of the trawl rope that has been marked with red light

reached, quickly, all of the weights have been pulled into the fishing

vessel using a pulling machine to trap a group of fish that surrounded.

After that, it was assured a group of fish cannot escape from the trawl.

Then, the trawl had been withdrawn by the fishermen with the help of

pulling machines until the groups of fish trapped in a small space on the

edge of the fishing vessel. It was found that the period to withdrawn the

trawl was approximately three hours.

The fish were scooped using a scoop nets and it was taken with the help

of pulling machines into a freezing storage.

2.5 Catching

There were several species of fish that have been captured to be marketed, but

there were also a little of non-targeted fish have been captured referred as

bycatch. The targeted fish was ikan Kembong or Indian Mackerel (Rastrelliger

kanagurta) while the non-targeted fish were ikan Tenggiri, squids and prawns.

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 The size of the ikan Kembong were within 3 cm to 12 cm where the fish size

more than 6 cm can be marketed, while the rest was sold to fertilizer

companies for processing it into fertilizer.

3.0 Recommendations

Following are some recommendations:

a. Upgrading the fishing technology in Malaysia

As recommendation, the technology of fishing vessels in Malaysia should be

upgraded. The technology of fishing vessels in Malaysia is very far behind

when it compared to neighboring countries such as Indonesia and Philippines,

because their used the latest technology of fishing. Hence, their also did not

need a lot of manpower to do the trawl operations.

Besides that, SONAR technology was the main method to detecting fish in

Malaysia and this process will take a long time to search and detect fish in the

sea. In Papua New Guinea, they have another modern method to facilitate the

search of fish, called Fish Aggregating Devices (FADs) where it is a man-

made object used to attract ocean going pelagic fish. FADs will reduce fuel

costs for catcher boat activities and increases the chances of catching targeted

fish. Although FADs have been used in Malaysia, but it uses the traditional

way in which the FADs was ineffectively.

b. Use the appropriate of mesh size to avoid catching of fish fry

For the second recommendation, fishermen should use the appropriate of mesh

size to avoid catching of fish fry. While in the training, there were a lot of fish

fry has been caught because of the mesh size that used was small.

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 If this situation is not contained, it will lead to adverse effects of the biomass of

this targeted fish, so it will be costly to the fishermen themselves.

c. Improve the awareness of safety, health and environment amongst fishermen

Lastly, Malaysian fishermen should improve the awareness of safety, health

and environment while on board. It was found that the level of safety and

health while on board was severely amongst fishermen at Kuala Kedah.

Besides that, the fishermen have also been found to remove the waste into the

sea, thus this matter will be harmful to marine life. The parties involved should

enforce the laws that have been made by the parliament to prevent this kind of

irresponsible act.

4.0 Conclusion

On the whole, the objectives of this training have been achieved by students. The

students had a taste of their own experiences as a fisherman, as well as, this experience

and learning will be the starting point for students to venture into business soon.

Fishing business in Malaysia was very behind in terms of using technology to catch

fish when compared with neighboring countries, namely Indonesia and the

Philippines. So that, fishing technology in Malaysia should be upgraded to compete

with foreign countries in which it can provide benefits to the fishermen and also to the

country.

The awareness of occupational safety and health in Malaysia was low as well as

fishermen, while on board. Such thing has become customary in Malaysia and it has

become a bad habit by the people of Malaysia.

5.0 References

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William S., 2009. Purse-seine Fishing Around Moored FADs in Papua New Guinea.

Fisheries Development Officer, SPC Costal Fisheries Programme. SPC Fisheries

Newsletter #129 – May/August 2009.

Fuller S. D., Picco C., Ford J., Chih F. T., Morgan L. E., Hangaard D., and

Chuenpagdee R., 2008. How We Fish Matters: Addressing The Ecological

Impacts of Canadian Fishing Gear. Ecology Action Centre, Living Oceans

Society, and Marine Conservation Biology Institute. Available from

http://www.howwefish.ca.

Viswanathan K. K., Jeon Y., Haji Omar I., Kirkley J., and Susilowati I., 2000.

Technical Efficiency and Fishing Skill in Developing Country Fisheries: The

Kedah, Malaysia Trawl Fishery. International Institute for Fisheries Economics

and Trade. Available from http://www.st.nmfs.noaa.gov.

Project Global, 1990. Global Bycatch Assessment of Long-lived Species: Malaysia.

Blue Ocean Institute. Available from http://www.bycatch.env.duke.edu/regions/

SoutheastAsia/Malaysia.pdf

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