THE monsoon season has arrived, and despite the potential of floods, this is the time when poachers will stalk the rivers around Tasik Kenyir to catch fish that swim upstream to spawn.
These poachers, locals and outsiders alike, will use every means to get to these rivers, where fish like lampam (Puntius schwanenfeldii), tengas (Neolissochilus hexagonolepis), sebarau (Hampala macrolepidota), kelah (Tor tombroides spp), patin (Pangasius sutchi) and temoleh (Probarbus jullieni) can be seen swimming in large schools.
The usual method is to string nets across the rivers, leaving them for 24 hours or more, to trap the fish. Most of the fish have bellies laden with eggs, a highly-prized product available in large quantities during the spawning season until late January.
Some poachers use fish traps, or bubu, to catch baung kunyit (Mystus wyckii). They will lay many of these traps, with rotting fish as bait.
The traps left behind in the lake is one of the reasons why the population of baung kunyit has dwindled to a worrying level. If the abandoned traps are not removed, more of the species will end up dead.
Poachers are well aware that it is illegal to catch fish in the lake using nets and fish traps.
They also know that fishing is not allowed in rivers designated as spawning areas, not just to protect the fish, but also human lives because of strong currents and surges.
Between now and January, the occurrence of kepala air (a huge surge of water) is common in rivers around Tasik Kenyir, and nobody wants to be caught in a 9m-high gush of water that sweeps everything in its path.
It is, therefore, a wise decision for visitors and anglers to avoid Sungai Petuang, Sungai Tembat, Sungai Lasir, Sungai Kriang, Sungai Mandak and Sungai Lawit at this time as the kepala air is unpredictable.
Despite the danger, these rivers are popular haunts of poachers, who are willing to risk their lives simply because it is a time of plenty. They fail to realise that the fish they catch is actually the future generation, and their illegal activities will deplete the lake.
Some anglers have already noticed the lack of game fish, such as sebarau, kelah, temoleh and toman (Channa micropeltes). They say Tasik Kenyir is no longer the paradise it once was.
A study is needed to identify the fish population and species that are at risk due to human greed.
Both the Fisheries Department and Universiti Malaysia Terengganu should take the lead so that efforts can be initiated to re-stock the lake.
Since the state government is focusing on developing Tasik Kenyir as a tourism hotspot, it is only wise to stop unscrupulous visitors and poachers from plundering the lake’s resources.
The Central Terengganu Development Authority (Ketengah), together with the Fisheries, National Parks and Wildlife, and Forestry Departments, and the police should consider setting up outposts and mounting patrols at the entrance to those rivers.
Besides curbing poaching, the presence of men in uniform can also discourage illegal logging, especially for precious agarwood, in the surrounding forest reserve.
These outposts can also double up as stations or base camps for environmental researchers.
Tasik Kenyir still holds a lot of surprises, and the potential of discovering new species is high.
The Kenyir Rangers, formed by Ketengah many years ago, should be empowered to inspect boats to ensure that the owners are not hiding fishing nets before they leave the main jetty at Pengkalan Gawi.
The rangers, together with the relevant authorities, should also inspect anchored houseboats at the lake. Some operators pick up their hidden fishing nets in the bushes at the lakeside.
The fish caught by anglers must also be inspected. Those found with prized species, which were suspected to be caught using illegal means, should be detained and investigated.
The enforcement agencies must have a strong commitment to protect the lake’s resources. Extra costs (usually involving fuel and staff overtime) should not be an excuse if the long-term objective is to conserve Tasik Kenyir and make it a visitor’s choice.
The task of sustaining the lake’s resources will become more pressing when the duty-free zones in Pulau Poh and Pulau Bayas are opened next year.
They will present another problem — sanitation and garbage disposal.
As such, any development plans must include the protection of Tasik Kenyir as an international hotspot for visitors seeking new adventures.
Rosli Zakaria is NST's specialist writer based in Terengganu. He is an environmentalist and enjoys capturing the beauty of flora and fauna in its fragile environment. He draws his inspiration from cross-country drives and off-road adventures. He can be reached via roslizakaria591@gmail.com