SEREMBAN: The Negri Sembilan Forestry Department has almost completed construction of a fish conservation centre or sanctuary and hatchery in Sungai Kenaboi, Jelebu, which is scheduled to begin operations early next year.

       Its director Saleh Awaludin said the project, which costs about RM120,000, is aimed at preserving and conserving as well as enriching the various species of fish in the state’s waters from threats, especially rare species like the kelah.

       According to him, the project is at the infrastructure construction stage.

       Detailed discussions with various interested parties such as the state Fisheries Department, the Orang Asli Development Department (Jakoa) and several other agencies are also in progress, he added.

       “The objective is to enrich our rivers with local fish species and we are selecting Sungai Kenaboi as its water is clean and unpolluted.

       “The location is also rich with biodiversity and based on our records, there were lots of kelah in Sungai Kenaboi but now it is difficult to find due to human activities such as illegal fishing,” he said here on Sunday (Aug 22).

       In this regard, he said the selection of fish breeds in the sanctuary would be made by the state Fisheries Department and Glami Lemi Fisheries Research Institute in Jelebu.

       He added that the sanctuary will also help to sustain protected forest areas and if it is successful, similar projects will be implemented in other rivers in the state.

       He said the concept of a sanctuary was modelled on the Sungai Chiling Fish Sanctuary in Kuala Kubu Baru, Selangor, and the Royal Belum Park in Perak, both of which are regarded as successes in nature conservation.

       Saleh also said the creation of the sanctuary and hatchery could help attract more visitors and boost ecotourism as well as improve the economy of the local community.

       Efforts to preserve the fish population especially the endangered and rare species also need the cooperation of the Orang Asli community as they are closest to the rivers, he added.

       At the same time, Saleh advised the people not to use electric shocks and bombs when fishing as this can cause the extinction of fisheries resources apart from damaging forest reserves. – Bernama