Sabah's future prosperity lies in seafood, aquaculture

MALAYSIA - Aquaculture and seafood projects in Sabah will push the resource-rich State on the path to further industrialisation and prosperity, said Chief Minister Datuk Musa Aman.

Musa said marine aquaculture is becoming an increasingly important source of seafood supply, with breakthrough in hatchery technology opening new opportunities for supply of quality products.

Future demand for most sought-after species of fish, shrimp and other shellfish will be increasingly met by aquaculture production.

"The importance of aquaculture and seafood is reflected in the recently unveiled Ninth Malaysia Plan, in which out of RM200b for development expenditure over the next five years, the allocation for agriculture is RM11.4b.

"Aquaculture and marine resources will share a substantial amount of this total outlay and the programmes and projects earmarked for Sabah will push this resource-rich State on the path of further industrialisation and prosperity," he said.

His speech was read by his Deputy, Datuk Yahya Hussin during the launching of the International Conference on Coastal Oceanography and Sustainable Marine Aquaculture - Confluence and Synergy (ICCOSMA) hosted by the Universiti Malaysia Sabah (UMS) at a hotel here, Tuesday.

Source: Daily Express