Deputy Chief Minister and Agriculture and Food Industry Minister, Datuk Yahya Hussin, said there are 11 marine farms involved in cage fish, oyster and seaweed farming, currently being developed in the bay and one of them is run by a public listed company.
He told The Daily Express of Malaysia that another two commercial companies have also submitted a proposal to the Ministry to develop seaweed farms on 1,500 hectares of the sea area, with the involvement of local fishermen.
Responding questions raised at the State Legislative Assembly sitting earlier in the week, Minister Hussin said the Ministry will be proposing two zones to be developed as an aquaculture industrial zone, namely, Silam Waters Zone encompassing 18,600 hectares (ha) of sea in Teluk Silam and Bakapit Zone (14,500ha) in Bakapit-Tungku.
"These areas have been identified as suitable for in-cage fish and seaweed farming activities," he said.
Minister Hussin said for the proposed National Aquaculture Centre off Tungku waters 400 seaweed farms have been targeted to be developed, involving 2,000ha, with 10,000 cages for in-cage fish farming (1,000ha), 10 shellfish farms (300ha) as well as another 45ha area specially allocated for fish and fry breeding centres and processing plants.
Developing the Marine Industry
MALAYSIA - Darvel Bay, covering the waters off Lahad Datu, Kunak and Semporna, has been identified by the Fisheries Department as an area most suitable for marine industry development in Sabah.
