SEGAMAT: The Unity Government has approved RM900,000 in allocations this year for the freshwater fish and prawn fry projects in Johor.
Johor Agriculture, Agro-Industries and Rural Development Committee chairman Datuk Zahari Sarip (pix) said RM750,000 will be used for freshwater fish and prawn fry projects, while RM150,000 will be specially for the baung fish rearing project in Segamat district.
“Currently, Johor has two existing fish fry centres, in Kulai and Pontian. With the allocation, we will improve them, and create another centre in Segamat as well as open a baung fish rearing centre there as well,” he told reporters after releasing 200,000 giant freshwater prawn fries in Kampung Tekam near here, with state fisheries director Zainuddin Abd Wahab in attendance.
He explained that with the improvements, purchases of fry from other states can be reduced and Johor might even become a producer instead.
“We plan to release between 500,000 and 700,000 freshwater fish and prawn fries into the state’s waters and I’m told that currently there aren’t enough fries, so we have to buy them from other states,” he added. - Bernama