PUTRAJAYA: The Malaysian Fisheries Department (DOF) today launched two major initiatives aimed at strengthening the integrated, systematic and effective management of the country’s fisheries resources.
The initiatives are the Blueprint Large Marine Managed Area (MyMPA) Study Report and the Malaysia Fisheries Resource System (MyFiRSt).
Fisheries Director-General Datuk Adnan Hussain said the initiatives are in line with Malaysia’s commitment to increase its Marine Protected Areas (MPA) to 10 per cent by 2030, compared to the current 5.54 per cent.
“The biggest challenge is ensuring that all parties understand that MPA does not mean taking away anyone’s rights, but rather conserving marine resources,” he told Bernama after opening the Fisheries Resources Conservation Seminar 2025, here today.
Adnan said the effort is also in line with the country’s commitment under the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) Agenda.
He said the MyMPA blueprint was developed through a strategic collaboration between DOF and Universiti Malaysia Terengganu (UMT)to serve as a science-based reference for identifying potential areas to be designated as MPAs and Other Effective Area-based Conservation Measures (OECM).
The implementation of MyMPA will strengthen the country’s marine protection network, while enriching biodiversity, and supporting food security through more sustainable resource stocks,” he said.
Adnan said MyFiRSt is a national data digitalisation initiative by DOF to collect, coordinate and share information on marine biodiversity and inland fisheries. The system integrates data on MPA areas, fisheries management, public reports, and spatial mapping for analytics.
Through MyFiRSt, he said, fisheries data can be managed in a more standardised, transparent and controlled manner, thereby supporting science-based management, strengthening policies and enhancing conservation effectiveness.
“These two initiatives complement each other to ensure more structured and effective fisheries governance for the benefit of coastal communities, fishermen and the sustainability of the country’s fisheries resources,” he said.
The Fisheries Resources Conservation Seminar 2025, with the theme “Towards Sustainable Management of National Fisheries Resources”, runs for three days, starting today. The event is in line with the implementation of the National Agro-Food Policy 2.0 (2021-2030) and the National Biodiversity Policy 2022-2030, which outline the direction for conserving the country’s marine biodiversity
— BERNAMA
