SEMPORNA: A yellowfin tuna fishery improvement project was recently launched here to sustain its harvest in the district.
The district produces more than 40 per cent of total yellowfin tuna landings in the state.
A significant number of fishermen using fishing rods, particularly from Mabul Island, are major contributors to the yellowfin tuna fishery industry.
Senallang Community Development leader Adam Shah Mohammad said the project would ensure the sustainability of the yellowfin tuna fisheries and benefit the economy along the supply chain.
He said this would ensure lucrative income for the fishermen.
"Semporna has a vast sea area and is an important tourism destination.
"As a crucial resource for tourism, the development of a sustainable fishing industry, such as through this project, is a good first step towards promoting unique and sustainable seafood," he said in a statement.
Located within the Semporna Priority Conservation Area, the project is part of the Marine Spatial Planning initiative, which is implemented in countries like Indonesia, Thailand, the Philippines, Mexico, and the United States.
It is one of 225 fishery improvement projects worldwide, and the second in Malaysia after Tun Mustapha Park, Kudat, launched in 2019.
The Semporna project is governed by 10 stakeholder groups comprising government agencies, research institutes, non-governmental organisations and communities of Mabul Island.
Following the preparation of action plans through several coordination meetings since 2018, the project, chaired by the Semporna District Office with support from the Senallang Community Development Leaders Unit and Sabah Fisheries department, will enter its implementation phase shortly after the launch.
These efforts will improve the living standards of fisheries and marine ecosystems found in the 400,000ha of marine waters in southern Semporna.
Focused on research activities and traceability development, the yellowfin tuna fishery improvement project is located in the Coral Triangle, which includes the waters of Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Papua New Guinea, Timor-Leste and the Solomon Islands.
Apart from WWF-Malaysia, the project also receives funding from Yayasan Hasanah for activities involving improving the quality of yellowfin tuna, such as the adaptation of freezing processes and innovations for onboard fish storage systems.