PUTRAJAYA: The government has allocated RM150mil under the Food Security Fund (DJM) and provided soft loans to fishermen for the acquisition of modern high-tech vessels, says the Fisheries Department.

       The assistance is for developing the coastal fisheries industry through a vessel modernisation programme, encouraging the use of environmentally-friendly equipment, and improving fishing tools and the efficiency of vessels in Zone A and Zone B, it added.

       Zone A covers coastal fishermen who operate up to eight nautical miles (14.8km) from the coastline, while Zone B fishermen have larger vessels and go as far out as 15 nautical miles – beyond which is Zone C.“It opens up opportunities for traditional fishermen in Zone A and Zone B to upgrade and modernise their vessels, as well as use more automated, efficient and resource-friendly fishing equipment,” the department said, reported Bernama.

       This, it added, would improve fishermen’s safety and the quality of their catch.

       “It would directly increase the income of fishermen in Zones A and B,” the department said in a statement issued in conjunction with the World Oceans Day celebration yesterday.

       It also said the assistance would also allow fishermen to operate their vessels in more remote zones, modify their vessels and get new engines.

       It added that Malaysia had signed the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) that required 10% of the country’s waters to have been made into Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) by 2020.

       The department currently manages 2,486.13 sq km of waters, while Malaysia is required to have a total MPA of 2,631.8093 sq km.

       Meeting the MPA requirement would allow Malaysia to achieve Sustainable Development Goal 14 (SDG 14), especially goals 14.1, 14.2 and 14.5, namely Life Below Water under the SDGs.

       “The achievement of the SDG will further ensure food security from marine sources in addition to other marine life such as coral reefs,” the department added.