KOTA KINABALU: Fishing boat owners are affected by the closure of QL Marine Products Sdn Bhd’s fish processing factory since June 17 on the Health Ministry’s order due to the spread of Covid-19 in the premises.
Kota Kinabalu Fishing Boat’s Owner Association chairman Simon Hong Kok Huong said the closure of the factory had impacted the fishing industry, particularly in Kota Kinabalu, because it was the largest fish buyer.
Following the factory’s closure, he said fishing boat owners were unable to sell their excess fish, given that the domestic market only constituted 40 per cent of the daily fish landing at Safma Fishery Complex whereas the remaining 60 per cent was acquired by fish processing plants.
He said the association’s members, comprising commercial fishing boat owners with more than 200 actively operating vessels, were suffering losses due to the lack of buyer or factory to purchase their excess catch.
He added that the fish have high market value compared to fish fertilizers.
“As a result of the factory’s closure, some of our members may decide to cease fishing as they are worried they would not be able to sell their excess catch.
“If this happens, the fish landings will decrease, causing price hikes due to limited supply,” he said in a statement on Monday.
In view that the fishing industry was one of the critical economic sectors, especially in the supply of fish-based protein to domestic market and fish processing plants, Hong hoped that the State Government would give priority to fishing boat crews, fish wholesalers, workers at fish processing plants and related industries such as transporters and ice block processing factories in the vaccination programme.
“This is necessary for the fishing industry to operate like usual despite the Covid-19 pandemic so that the supply of fishery products could be maintained at optimal level, ensure the community have consistent supply of fish as well as to make sure fish processing factories could operate without disruption.”