Marine fisheries management and utilization of fishing ground in Malaysia

Under the marine capture fisheries management in Malaysia, the marine fishing ground is zoned into four areas simply according to the distance from the seashore: zone A from the seashore (0) to 5 nautical miles (nm), zone B from 5 to 12 nm, zone C from 12 to 30 nm, and zone C2 of more than 30 nm. In addition, all fishing gear is classified as either commercial fishing gear of high catch capability or traditional fishing gear of comparatively low catch capability. Fishing gear classified as commercial gear is permitted to be operated only at sea. Further restrictions are imposed on the operation of trawl net and fish purse seine gear which are classified as commercial fishing gear. Namely, their operation is allowed exclusively at sea more than 5 nautical miles (nm) offshore, i.e. in zone B, zone C and zone C2. Moreover, their operation onboard fishing boats of 40 to 70 GRT (Gross Registered Tonnage) is allowed exclusively from 12 nm offshore, i.e. in zone C and zone C2, while operation from boats of more than 70 GRT is allowed in fishing ground more than 30 nm offshore, i.e. only in zone C2. On the other hand, all kinds of fishing gear classified as traditional fishing gear can be operated in any fishing ground. Traditional gear is operated in lakes, rivers, estuaries and from coastal waters to further offshore, i.e. zone A, zone B, zone C and zone C2. It has been proved that in the 1990's almost one fourth of the total marine catch from Peninsular Malaysia was derived from zone A, namely from the shallowest, narrowest and nearest fishing ground to the mainland. Consequently, this management system is perceived to be very appropriate for preventing overfishing of aquatic animal resources in coastal waters including zone A by fishing gear such as trawl net and fish purse seine gear of high catch capability, because coastal waters including zone A are considered to be fishing ground of extremely high productivity.