LKIM Seeks Structured Controls For Shrimp And Fishery Imports

JOHOR BAHRU, Feb 6 (Bernama) -- The Malaysian Fisheries Development Authority (LKIM) has called on the government to impose more structured controls on shrimp and fishery product imports to protect the local market and ensure the sustainability of aquaculture operators.

LKIM chairman Muhammad Faiz Fadzil said the authority currently lacks specific powers to regulate fishery imports and exports, but is planning to raise the matter to higher levels to establish an effective control mechanism.

“Unregulated shrimp imports could affect local production, particularly farms under LKIM supervision. While there are no specific rules to prevent such imports, the government needs to take proactive measures to manage the situation collectively.

“This applies not only to shrimp but also to other fishery products, so that local operators are not impacted by a surplus of imported goods,” he told Bernama after inspecting a tank shrimp farming project run by the Johor State Fishermen Association (JOSFA) in Kampung Sungai Danga today.

He said import and export controls require coordination among multiple agencies, as LKIM is not the primary body overseeing international fishery trade.

Muhammad Faiz said the Authority is actively encouraging fishermen’s associations to participate in aquaculture by providing financial and technical support and leveraging existing assets. 

The initiative aligns with the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security’s target of achieving 40 per cent of national fish production from aquaculture by 2030.

“If associations do not seize these opportunities, the sector will be dominated by private companies. We want a structured system including private players, but within a framework that prevents oversupply and price instability,” he added.

LKIM recorded aquaculture production of 1,495 metric tonnes valued at RM37.77 million in 2023 and 1,200 metric tonnes worth RM23.67 million in 2024.

Meanwhile, JOSFA general manager Abdul Fatah Alkhairi Mustapa said the infrastructure cost for the tank shrimp farming project was RM1.2 million. The project began on March 1, 2025, with shrimpfry introduced on Sept 8, 2025. 

“As of January, the farm has harvested 20 tonnes of shrimp, with RM500,000 in sales, showing aquaculture’s potential as a sustainable source of income for fishermen,” he said.

-- BERNAMA