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Total catch of marine fish from Malaysian waters in 2019 were 1.456 million mt, a slight increased 1.0% compared to 1.453 million in 2018. The total landing in 2019 were attributed to the catch from 51,123 registered vessels with trawlers, purse seines, drift nets contributed large percentage of the catches. In 2019, marine fish production from the west coast of Peninsular Malaysia (Malacca Straits) contribute 815,816 mt (56%) out of the total catch. The remaining catches were from the South China Sea and Sulu Celebes Seas, east coast of Sabah. Coastal fisheries produced 82% (1,192,354 mt) and 18% (263,093 mt) from deep-sea fisheries.
Therefore, there is an emphasis by the government to develop tuna fisheries not only in coastal waters, but also in offshore waters within the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ). Tuna fisheries, which include both oceanic and neritic tuna, are targeted to be developed in the near future. The second Strategic Development Plan for tuna fisheries 2012-2020 was launched end of 2013.
During the early 1980s, small tuna (as neritic tuna were called then) were only caught as by-catch by gill nets and purse seines. When tuna purse seines were introduced in 1987, the neritic tuna fisheries started to develop. A tagging experiment on neritic tuna carried out in South China Sea showed that 50% of the recaptured tuna came from the purse seine operators. Initially purse seine operators visually searched for tuna schools. Gradually, some of these operators started to use lights to aggregate fish. Following complaints from other fishermen, the use of lights was regulated and limited to less than 30 kilowatts, although there have been incidences of non-compliance.
Neritic tuna contributes 6% of Malaysia’s marine fish landings in 2019. Purse seiners are the most important fishing gear in neritic tuna fisheries, especially the 40-69.9 GRT and >70 GRT vessel size. It contributed more than 86% of the annual catches of neritic tuna in Malaysia. In Kuala Perlis, neritic tuna species are the second most abundant (13%) landed by purse seines after scad (16%), with longtail tuna dominated the landings followed by kawa kawa and frigate tuna. In the year 2019, neritic tuna landings in west coast Peninsular Malaysia amounted to 17,500 mt; increasing by 15.7% compared to 14,746 mt in 2018. Meanwhile landings of neritic tuna in Malaysia ranged from 50,000 mt to 80,000 mt. The highest catch was recorded in 2019 with 87,400 mt respectively. There was a decreasing trend in landings from 2002 to 2005 before an increasing trend until 2008. Landings of neritic tuna in Malaysia appear to have stabilized from 2010 to 2018.
The catch of oceanic tuna in 2019 showed a 2% decreased from 2,867 mt in 2018 to 2,828 mt in 2019. Albacore showed a decreasing from 1,792.46 mt in 2018 to 1,618.65 mt in 2019. The fleet which consisted of six (6) fishing vessels and one (1) carrier, unloaded and exported the catches at Port Louis, Mauritius. Albacore tuna formed nearly 60% of the total catches in the form of frozen tuna. Meanwhile, eleven (11) fishing vessels unloaded and exported catches at Penang Port, Malaysia mostly are yellowfin and bigeye tuna in frozen and gutted forms.
For domestic vessels operating beyond 30 nm offshore, there are plan by the DOF Malaysia to implement observer on board and logbook system. The revised NPOA- Sharks II is published in 2014 and sharks and endangered species listed in the CITES also listed in Malaysia CITES Act 2008. On sea turtle, four (4) turtle conservation and information centres have regularlyimplementing awareness program for student and fishermen communities in the states of N.Sembilan, Perak, Penang and Melaka. Hatching program at these centers managed to release over 65,000 baby turtles back to the sea. There are several research programs on sea turtle been carried out at different areas in Malaysian waters and the ongoing projects are c-hook and satellite tracking.
Malaysia have updated the national logbook to include all the species as requested in Resolution 19/04 for longliners and purse seiners, and monitor tuna landing and inspection at port by Port Inspector. DOF Malaysia also monitoring and tracking the deep-sea and tuna vessels using National VMS.
Under resolution 19/06, Malaysia longliners transhipped at sea monitor by the IOTC observer under ROP. Malaysia participated in the Regional Observer Program in 2018 for carrier vessel and fishing vessel to monitor transhipment at sea. DOF Malaysia also have installed CCTV on every vessel as a tool for EMS as an alternative for observer on board.
