Guest guest Posted November 15, 2003 Report Share Posted November 15, 2003 ***************************Advertisement*************************** eCentral - Your Entertainment Guide http://www.star-ecentral.com ***************************************************************** This message was forwarded to you by yitzeling. Comment from sender: This article is from The Star Online (http://thestar.com.my) URL: http://thestar.com.my/lifestyle/story.asp?file=/2003/11/15/features/6666893 & sec=\ features ________________________ Saturday November 15, 2003 Save & capitalise By Anthony Geoffrey Pictures courtesy of Rod & Line Magazine THE development of angling tourism in Malaysia has been given a great boost by no less a person than the Culture, Arts and Tourism Minister, Datuk Paduka Abdul Kadir Sheikh Fadzir. He accompanied members of The Malaysian Angling Association (PeMM) to Kuala Rompin, Pahang recently to see for himself the catch, tag and release programme of billfish (fish with bills like swordfish) and introduced by PeMM. In association with McDonald’s Malaysia and the Billfish Foundation which is based in the US, PeMM is urging all anglers to tag and release billfish caught in Malaysian waters. Departing from the Kuala Rompin jetty at 8am, a flotilla of 10 boats accompanied the minister. After a brief stopover to catch live bait (fishing boats are equipped with live bait wells) 20 minutes from shore, we proceeded to the sailfish grounds just another 10 or 15 minutes away. This area, just half an hour from the jetty, has the potential to be one of the finest sailfishing spots in the world. Catches of 20 to 30 fish a day are not uncommon. At present, nobody really knows why sailfish congregate here in such big numbers. Sometimes the seas are boiling with these magnificent creatures. Being pelagic in nature, sailfish move around the tropical and sub-tropical oceans in search of food. However, they are found in great numbers some distance from Kuala Rompin the whole year through. Maybe the area is a breeding ground. The seas were a little choppy that day but the fins of sailfish were clearly visible. It didn’t take long for the first hook up. In a little over five minutes, three of the four main angling boats had strikes. It is hard to say which boat was the first, as all struck very close together. Some boats had single hook-ups, some multiple. My boat had a double strike on the first cast out. Within the space of an hour or so, the minister had already seen the full potential of the area and had caught his first sailfish. I am not sure how many hook-ups occurred that day but suffice to say that my boat had seven strikes within half an hour. Other boats had more. This tagging programme, sponsored by McDonald’s Malaysia, is the first such programme in here. Mohamed Shah Tan Sri Abdul Kadir, managing director of McDonald’s Malaysia – himself a keen angler – also accompanied the minister on the excursion, as did Chris Tan, tag-and-release director of the PeMM programme. Tan was not only the “resident expert” on the minister’s boat, he was also the chief architect behind this PeMM programme, along with Bob Chang of Tightlines Sportfishing which is based in Subang. Mohamed Shah said, “McDonald’s believes that responsibility for the environment is shared by all. Increasing public awareness towards environmental appreciation and conservation promotes a healthy family lifestyle. “The ‘Save the Billfish’ campaign not only enables us to conserve our environment, it also promotes the country as the number one choice for billfish anglers worldwide.” “There’s a huge potential for more tourists through game fishing,” said Abdul Kadir. “Malaysian waters such as at Kuala Rompin can generally be classified as one of the best places to fish. “A concerted effort through programmes such as Rompin Fest 2003 and the ‘Save the Billfish’ conservation, will enable us to create greater awareness on our tourist destinations and bring international anglers to Malaysia.” Kuala Rompin has, without doubt, the potential to attract many foreign tourists to fish in its waters. Nowhere else in the world can you be guaranteed a sailfish the whole year through – and in such numbers. However, there is a downside – the quality of services and angling-related facilities in the area. The jetty itself is an eyesore for anglers and crowded with commercial fisherman’s gear, nets and equipment. Hardly the perfect environment for overseas anglers. Also, commercial ikan bilis fishermen regularly kill sailfish that get caught in their nets. Both legislation and enforcement are required to stop the slaughter of a top-class, tourism draw. All angling boats out of Kuala Rompin practise a catch-and-release programme, however, the commercial fishermen catch and kill, usually with a spike to the head. They then throw the sailfish overboard because the fish have no commercial value in the market. It is not uncommon to kill up to 40 or 50 sailfish a day! This has to stop. However, the value of these fish to the angling fraternity is phenomenal. If Thailand can designate an area as a recreational fishing area only, then why can’t Malaysia? This wholesale slaughter of a valuable and sustainable source of revenue has to be stopped. Tag-and-release for billfish and sharks must not only be encouraged, it must be mandatory. But it is not just Kuala Rompin that needs improvement. Other marine starting points and destinations also need looking into if angling tourism is to succeed. Freshwater destinations also are sadly lacking in facilities. I would urge the authorities concerned to sit down with angling companies, PeMM and other interested parties to devise a strategy to promote recreational fishing. If poor countries like Cuba, Seychelles, Maldives and Gambia can do it, then so can Malaysia. Malaysia Boleh! Once the process starts, once the government shows an interest in angling tourism, the private sector will follow. It is now impossible to tow your jet ski without the proper licence, let alone your 16-footer or even carry your car-topper without “a hard to get” permit. This is ridiculous if you want to promote water-based activities. Angling tourism in Malaysia has an excellent future, as does most water sporting activities. We just need to capitalise on what we already have. <p> ________________________ Your one-stop information portal: The Star Online http://thestar.com.my http://biz.thestar.com.my http://classifieds.thestar.com.my http://cards.thestar.com.my http://search.thestar.com.my http://star-motoring.com http://star-space.com http://star-jobs.com http://star-ecentral.com http://star-techcentral.com 1995-2003 Star Publications (Malaysia) Bhd. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part in any form or medium without express written permission of Star Publications is prohibited. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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