KUALA LUMPUR: Measures taken by the Malaysian Fisheries Development Authority (LKIM) and fishermen associations have seen fishermen reducing their dependence on daganan (bidders)
The measures taken were equipment aids, interest-free loans and assistance during the monsoon for fishermen nationwide.
LKIM Corporate Communication department director Intan Suhaila Othman said the board had made efforts to reduce the middlemen’s involvement, which had led to the manipulation of fisherman. In turn, the middlemen controlled the price of fish.
“LKIM provides places for fishermen to sell their catch by themselves, which they can get full profit without the involvement of daganan.
“We can get information about the catch as long as they land
their catch at LKIM fish landing jetties.
“We help fishermen by providing equipment aids, such as nets, containers, as well as equipment to repair boats,” she told the New Straits Times.
Intan said another aid was interest-free loans to replace or to repair old fishing
boat.
“In certain areas, fishermen are not registered under fishermen associations and have to rely on middlemen because they do not have the money to buy daily needs to go fishing.
“We are doing our best to reduce their dependency on middlemen, and by 2019, we hope that we can abolish daganan’s involvement.
“We can’t do price inspections as they are under the purview of the Domestic Trade, Cooperatives and Consumerism Ministry. However, we do daily price monitoring and post it on our website.”
Kuantan Fishermen Association chairman Talib Husin said it helped fishermen by providing aid, especially during the monsoon season.
“We don’t have the budget to provide them financial aid. All we can do is provide basic necessities, such rice, coffee and milk, to help them out.
“LKIM has taken the initiative by providing fish markets that are managed by fishermen near fish landing jetties. As soon as we land the catch, our family members will sell the fish at the market.
“From that, we can maximise profits as the income generated by selling the catch goes directly to fishermen,” he said.
Talib said the collaboration between the associations in the states had given fishermen extra income.
“There is demand for certain fish in other states, and by exchanging products, we are making sure
that all the catches are sold, which helps fishermen get extra income.
“We encourage our fishermen to apply for loans from Tabung Ekonomi Kumpulan Usaha Niaga to help them.”
A Terengganu Fishermen Association spokesman said the prices were set by daganan and wholesalers as fishermen did not know how to determine the market price for fishes.
Federation of the Malaysian Consumers Associations (Fomca) deputy president Mohd Yusof Abdul Rahman said fishermen did not have many options as they were tied to middlemen.
“Apart from the bad weather, especially in the east coast, middlemen, wholesalers, retailers and fishmongers determine the price of fish.
“It has become a tradition among fishermen where the middlemen pay them in advance for the daily fuel consumption of their boats, ice (to preserve their catch), food and cigarettes, as well as lending money for their needs as they don’t have a fixed income.
“This causes fishermen to be bound to daganan as the advance payment is a debt, which leads them to be manipulated by the latter.
“Fomca suggests that LKIM acts as the middleman by buying fish directly from fishermen, and take it to markets.
“This reduces the burden on consumers as the fish will be sold at cheaper price.
“This will also help fishermen earn profit directly without daganan’s involvement.