Review subsidised diesel quota, say fishing boat owners
Published on: Wednesday, February 07, 2024
Fishing boats in Kota Kinabalu waiting for diesel.
Kota Kinabalu: Kota Kinabalu Fishing Boat Owners Association (KKFBOA) is appealing for the implementation of the subsidised diesel quota by the Malaysian Fisheries Development Authority (LKIM) to be reviewed.
In addition, KKFBOA also suggested that LKIM consider that subsidised diesel quota approval for boats be given based on the principal approval like previously and on the horsepower of the main engine of a boat.
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KKFBOA Chairman Simon Hong said the association considers this issue to be critical and requested LKIM review the matter to strengthen food security (fishing sector) which is often stated by the Government.
He said LKIM on Jan 1, 2023, enforced the setting of subsidised diesel quotas in all states in Malaysia based on the Gross Registered Tonnage (GRT) of a fishing boat.
He said following the enforcement, KKFBOA represented by 200 boat owners (commercial scale, including Sabah United Fisheries and Fishing Boat Association - SUFFBA) voiced objections to this implementation because the quota adjustment has had a negative impact on the fishing industry fish in Sabah, in particular.
“The quota adjustment has also resulted in the insufficiency of a fishing boat to operate the following months. This insufficiency forces boat owners to stop fishing operations when the diesel quota was used up for the months in question.
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“The impact and inadequacy of this cause the frequency of fishing boats to decrease by 30 to 50 per cent resulting in reduced catch.
As a result, the yield of fish landings is reduced by 30 to 50 per cent, which causes prices to increase and burden domestic consumers,” he said, Tuesday.
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In addition, he said this also had a negative impact on fisheries product processing factories and downstream industries based on fisheries products.
“The price of non-subsidised (bunker) diesel is very high and beyond the ability of boat owners because the cost of diesel that is sufficient accounts for 60 per cent of the operating cost of a boat, especially a trawler,” he said.
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