“These invasive alien species not only compete with native fish for food and space but also degrade water quality, erode riverbanks and disrupt the balance of the food chain.” – Minister for Food Industry, Commodity and Regional Development, Datuk Seri Dr Stephen Rundi Utom
INVASIVE alien fish species are posing a serious threat to the population of native fish species in Sarawak.
This shocking news was announced by Minister for Food Industry, Commodity and Regional Development, Datuk Seri Dr Stephen Rundi Utom, recently.
He said the invasive alien fish species not only competed with native fish for food and space but also degrade water quality, erode riverbanks, and disrupt the balance of the food chain.
Dr Rundi made these remarks through a speech delivered by his deputy minister, Datuk Martin Ben, during the opening ceremony of the ‘Invasive Alien Fish Hunting Programme in Sarawak 2025’ held at the Kuching Waterfront last Wednesday.
Dr Rundi pointed out that the spread of the invasive fish species in Sarawak’s inland waters posed a threat to native species such as empurau, semah, tapah, tengadak, labang and sayan which had existed for a long time.
He described invasive alien fish as species which were not native to Malaysia but were introduced, either intentionally or unintentionally, into local public waters.
According to the minister, in 2024, the Department of Fisheries Malaysia identified 40 species of invasive alien fish, and they included tilapia, African catfish, red-tailed catfish, flower horn, alligator fish and arapaima. These species are listed under the Fisheries (Prohibition of Import, etc. for Fish) Regulations 1990 (Amendment) 2011.
Dr Rundi added that for Sarawak, these species had been included in the proposed amendments to the State Fisheries Ordinance 2003, which was currently being reviewed for comprehensive enforcement and control.
He explained that the invasive alien fish species could spread fast due to their ability to breed rapidly, survive in low-quality water, and consume a wide range of food sources, making them difficult to control once they were released into the wild.
Those of us who are not into fishing or are not familiar with local fish species may not be able to spot an invasive alien fish.
According to Dr Rundi, the Sarawak Department of Agriculture has been working hard to strengthen public awareness and education on the issue.
He said he fully supported the department’s ongoing efforts to educate the public on the matter.
It is not known how long the ‘Invasive Alien Fish Hunting Programme in Sarawak 2025’ is going to last, but it will be good for Dr Rundi to inform the general public about the results of the programme once it is completed.
For instance, it will be good for the public to know how many invasive alien fish species are caught from specific rivers and whether these fish have penetrated into the inland rivers like the Batang Lupar, which is famous for its terubok, or the upper Rajang River, which is famous for its empurau, semah and tengadak.
Dr Rundi, in his speech, recommended several preventive measures, including avoiding the use of the invasive alien fish species as baits, not releasing them into waters, educating others about their dangers, and destroying any invasive species that were caught.
Now, I wonder how many members of the public, especially fishermen and rural folk, know about these preventive measures.
Dr Rundi said, “The role of the community is very important. We need everyone’s cooperation as the eyes and ears of the government, particularly in reporting sightings of these species or preventing others from releasing them into public waters. This is crucial to ensure that Sarawak’s native species are preserved and that aquatic ecosystem balance is maintained.”
Maybe it is time for the staff of the Department of Fisheries Malaysia and the Sarawak Department of Agriculture to visit the longhouses and kampung in Sarawak more often to educate the people of the threat posed by the invasive alien fish species.
I think the ‘Invasive Alien Fish Hunting Programme in Sarawak 2025’ is the first of its kind in the state.
Now, should minimal monetary rewards be offered to make it more successful? How about offering a reward for catching and turning in invasive alien fish to help keep our native fish species safe?
The campaign can be organised by the local government or Department of Fishes or Department of Agriculture.
It is sad to learn that the spread of the invasive fish species in Sarawak’s inland waters poses a threat to our native fish species like the empurau and semah.
In the state, empurau and semah are found in specific river stretches with fruit trees along the banks. The fruits from these trees contribute to their distinct flavour.
Empurau, caught in the wild, for instance, are said to taste creamy, savoury, a little sweet and fragrantly fruity.
Because they feed on fruits that grow on trees by the riverbank as well, the texture of semah is also very tender and fragrantly fruity.
I had the fortune to taste the empurau, which cost a fortune, at least twice in my life.
When I was a staff correspondent for the Brunei-based Borneo Bulletin ages ago, I had the fortune to travel up the Baleh River, a tributary of Rajang River, with the Resident of Kapit then and his entourage.
In the entourage was an Iban immigration officer who happened to be a good fisherman.
When our boats stopped on a bank along the Baleh River, the Iban man waded to some rocky outcrops to cast his fishing net into the water. In the wink of an eye, he caught a few big semah.
That night, we had ‘pansuh semah’ (semah cooked in bamboo tube) for dinner. It was the first and only time I tasted the delicious native fish.
I hope semah will continue to thrive in the Baleh River, and that they will live there for a long, long time to come.
The views expressed here are those of the writer and do not necessarily represent the views of Sarawak Tribune. The writer can be reached at adelinel888@gmail.com.
