Tag - Environment

Kota Kinabalu: Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Seri Yahya Hussin said the 'tagal' (community-based fisheries resource management) system would be implemented in 600 more river zones in Sabah within the next two years. He said the number was an addition to the existing 511, initiated by the Fisheries Department in partnership with riparian residents. "Hopefully, the system could be adapted to all the rivers in Sabah so they could be rehabilitated and sustain our fishery resources," he told reporters here Saturday after launching the system at Petagas River. Yahya, who is also State Agriculture and Food Industry Minister, also released more than 5,000 fish and prawn fries into the river. The tagal system entails zoning certain sections of the river, which would then remain off-limits to fishing activities for a certain period to allow the resources to flourish before being harvested jointly by the villagers involved. Encroachers would be penalised with a fine under the Sabah Inland Fisheries and Aquaculture Enactment 2003. The Petagas River tagal system involves about 3km and will be looked after by some 4,000 villagers of Kg Contoh, Kg Muhibbah, Kg Sekambu, Kg Petagas, Kg Peringatan, Kg Tengah Padang and Kg Ganang. Although it may seem to be an overly ambitious idea by the Minister who actually proposed for the said system to be created at the river back in June 2011, Yahya is confident it will work. "Petagas River has become filthy because of rubbish dumping and so on, by the riverbank and in the river itself, by those living in the area and we have failed to tackle this problem," he said. "Because of this, I proposed to the State Fisheries Department on June 16, 2011 to implement the tagal system in this river. This is so that through this system people living in the surrounding areas can help protect and rehabilitate the fish population in the river and stop indiscriminately dumping rubbish into it, like what the people in other areas where the system is implemented in their rivers," he said. "I am confident this will also work for Petagas River. We want to instil awareness on the importance of protecting our river and them to have a sense of love for their river for their own benefit," he said. Yahya said he was happy that the department had successfully introduced and implemented the tagal system in 2000, as a smart partnership between local people and the department in managing fish resources. "It is in deed our hope that the Petagas River tagal system would successfully rehabilitate the river fish population and conserve its natural environment. I believe it can actually become an eco-tourism destination like the Tagal Luanti in Ranau," he said. Tagal Luanti is an example of success for this system. In 2013 alone, it received over 50,000 visitors, generating economic spin-off for those living there. Meanwhile, Yahya, who is also State Umno Secretary, said he has not received any official proposal from any of the party's divisions in Sabah for any changes in the electoral boundary of their respective constituency. So far, Parti Bersatu Sabah (PBS) was the only State Barisan Nasional component party which has proposed for a new seat to be created for Papar parliamentary constituency. Source: Daily Express

KOTA KINABALU: Sabah is expected to attract 3.4 million visitors and generate RM6 billion in tourism revenue this year. Tourism, Culture and Environment Minister Datuk Masidi Manjun told press members after launching the book: “The Sensational Seas of Sabah” by Scubazoo yesterday that they expected to exceed last year’s revenue of RM5.7 billion from the industry this year. “At the same time, the ministry also expects to exceed last year’s tourists arrivals of 3.2 million,” he said. He then went on to say the revenue generated from the tourism sector had now exceeded the logging industry, which was once the state’s major revenue generator. “The income from the logging sector was once RM2 billion but last year, it generated only RM1 million – it was due to the decision of the present Chief Minister who decided to cancel the logging concessions in Sabah several years ago. It was a bold step to ensure that the forest was conserved and less trees were cut,” he said. He described the decision by Chief Minister Datuk Seri Musa Haji Aman as a wise one and that Sabah was now reaping the fruits from that wise decision since the income generated from the tourism sector now exceeded that of the logging sector. “In the logging sector, we realised that once the last tree was logged, that was the end,” he said. He then called on the industry and the people of Sabah to support efforts to look after the state’s natural heritage and not let the quest for more profit to deter them from doing what is right. “We need the strength to look after our islands, our nature and disallow acts that lead to degradation – that is why we limit the number of visitors on Sipadan to 120 people daily and to the Kinabalu Peak to 192 people daily. If our quest was for more profit, we will soon lose Sipadan and Kinabalu. I hope the industry will support this,” he said. He also said as a result of the conservation efforts undertaken by various parties in Sabah, the state was now endowed with a rich natural heritage that is unmatched by many other countries in the world. “And what we have underwater is not enjoyed by other places in the world,” he said. Meanwhile, Jason Isley, the managing director of Scubazoo said their newly launched book was geared towards enticing tourists to visit less visited islands in Sabah and reduce the pressure on Sipadan Island. He said the book presented some 300 powerful and emotive images gathered throughout a journey along the stunning coast of Sabah. “Beginning in the south west on Tiga Island in the South China Sea, we travel to the Tip of Borneo and the Sulu Sea before making our way south through the Celebes Sea where our final dive destination is the world famous Sipadan Island,” he said. In describing the condition of Sabah’s coastline, Scubazoo operations manager Simon Enderby said he could see a lot of improvement in the conditions of the reefs that were once decimated. “In just a short time of rehabilitation efforts by resorts, corals have come back. You can see a lot of improvement,” he said. He added that these could be seen on islands like Langkayan and Selingan. He also attributed the positive changes to awareness programmes that have led to a reduction in the number of people using fish bombing methods to catch fish. “Over the years, Sabah has done well to contain dynamite fishing,” he said. Also present at the event was Sabah Tourism Board (STB) chairman Datuk Joniston Bangkuai. Source: Borneo Post

Kota Kinabalu: A panel has been set up to study the possibility of limiting the carrying capacity of islands in the State to avoid them from being overcrowded. State Tourism, Culture and Environment Minister Datuk Masidi Manjun said on Saturday that the Government may introduce a limit on visitors to the islands to prevent them from being overcrowded like a "pasar malam" (night market). "We need to look and find ways to ensure our tourism products are sustainable and some islands have now become more like a 'pasar malam'," he said. However, he said the Government was not in a rush to introduce the limit as doing so may have negative commercial implications. "We need to have a fine balance of commercial and environment," he said. The move came following environmental concerns like pollution due to an increasing number of tourists visiting the State's islands. In August 2013, Masidi raised the alarm that the state of cleanliness of island parks have reached a critical stage due to the rubbish thrown by visitors and local inhabitants, especially in Pulau Sapi. He subsequently held talks with Sabah Parks on the issue and a panel was formed last November. Meanwhile, diving haven Sipadan remains off-limit to development amid reports that a renowned China-based diving centre plans to invest RM2.5 billion on a tourism-based integrated development project there. Masidi, who is in the dark over the development, said there is no way anyone can build a structure on the marine park which has a carrying capacity of 120. It is learnt that on Jan 6 officials from Diving Best, the operator of China's Sanya Diving Training Centre, met for a second time with officials from Sabah Economic Development Investment Authority (Sedia) to discuss their plans on developing a large area in Sipadan. The development includes a tourism-based resort and commercial and high-end residential areas, with focus on marine activities, divided into five zones, the report quoting a Sedia statement. To date, neither Sedia nor Diving Best has elaborated details on the billion-ringgit investment, including its location. Source: Daily Express