A Fisherman’s Tale

HARDSHIP: It’s getting more expensive for fishermen of Kampung Nelayan, Parit Jawa to take their boats out to sea.

IDLING: Fishermen of Kampung Nelayan, Parit Jawa hope for better days.

New Straits Times, Friday, July 18, 2008
By Tan Kim Swee

I WAS involved in fishing at the age of seven while studying in a Chinese school at Parit Jawa in Muar.

At the age of l6, I left to work in a factory in Singapore and returned 10 years later when my father, Tan Kim Swee (now 85 years) was unwell.He was a cook and he wanted me to inherit the job. Instead, I became a full-fledged fisherman at the age of 28 after a two-year on-the-job training as an assistant, also known as workers in the fishing industry.My father invested all his life savings of RM7,000 to buy me a second-hand boat, an engine and some nets.

In the l980s, the Parit Jawa fishing village had about 50 fishermen and within the next 25 years, the number doubled.I was drawn into fishing because I could be my own boss. At that time, the catch was good because there were few fishermen and the value of the ringgit was strong. Later, I engaged two assistants and installed a machine to pull up the nets replacing the hand-hauled system. The machine cost about RM1,000 compared to RM10,000 now.Gradually, the price of the second-hand boat together with engine and some nets soared to RM60,000 and a l4-tonne new boat alone was RM130,000.

As the number of fishermen increased, all converging to the limited fishing grounds, the catch drastically dropped and many felt the pinch.Previously, when I caught RM200 worth of fish, I could spend comfortably on household goods. Now, with the same amount of income, the grocery basket seemed to have shrunk drastically.The assistants worked on a commission basis of 15 per cent on the sale of the day’s catch.

The boat owner shoulders all expenses like purchasing subsidised diesel, cylinder oil, food and drinks, mending of torn nets and repairing damaged boats.A 125-horsepower boat, covering a distance of 25 nautical miles a day, would need RM100 on subsidised diesel and RM3 on cylinder oil. Food and drinks would amount to RM10. If the catch was sold at RM200, two assistants would take away RM60 and the owner takes back the rest. I can only go out to sea for l8-22 days a month and if the catch is kept at RM200 per trip, I earned less than RM1,000 a month to feed my family.

As the Straits of Malacca is an international route for vessels, fishing nets are usually damaged and often stolen by armed pirates and the violent waves would damage the boats. With prevailing risks, the income of fishermen is uncertain depending largely on luck and fate.I feel the Fisheries Act and its regulations should be made more fishermen-friendly. It has too many restrictions on fishing boats like size, weight and engine capacity.

The law states that the owner must go out in the boat to fish. I disagree that a boat owner must accompany every trip. If he suddenly falls ill, the two assistants are deprived of the day’s income. All boats licensed in Johor are restricted to fish in Johor waters and if any boat drifts into the Malacca waters, it commits an offence.The law also prohibits the transfer of ownership of fish-traps (kelong).

These laws restrict fishermen from bringing more fishing nets and going further out to sea and hinders them from returning faster with a fresher catch.It the boats are bigger with higher-powered engines, fishermen would be encouraged to stay overnight at sea in the hope of catching more fish.I think the authorities must exercise discretion and be more friendly with fishermen who risk their lives daily. These officers must show compassion and sympathy. If the owner is unable to go out to sea due to sickness or unavoidable circumstances like a death in the family, the assistants must be allowed to go out.

Furthermore, the government is not providing any welfare aid to fishermen who are prohibited to earn a living just because of a clause in the Act.Many fishermen are above 50-years-old and they can no longer switch to other jobs if they cannot go out to sea. Their livelihood depends on the daily income to feed an average of six to eight members in a family.

I feel the law is too harsh on fishing boat owners if he is not found in the boat. The “offence” carries a RM1,200 fine. Furthermore, he and two assistants would be deprived of income for three days to a week as the boat would be detained by the Fisheries Department pending the settlement of the fine.

The law seemed to be more friendly to illegal trawlers, who are given a lenient penalty of RM500 fine, when caught in prohibited waters. I strongly feel the law must be amended immediately to include the confiscation of the illegal trawling vessels and gear and the cancellation of their licences when proven guilty of committing offences.