A working visit to the Kuala Muda District Fisheries Office, Kedah was held on 28th September 2016 for the implementation of the Boat Waqf Project. The purpose of this visit was to obtain information about the boats used by fishermen to go out to sea as well as the management of their catch.
The visit began with a short briefing delivered by the Kuala Muda District Fisheries Officer, Mr. Wan Johari, followed by a briefing from the Chairman of the Kuala Muda Area Fishermen’s Association. Based on the information obtained, it was found that nearly 97% of the population in Kuala Muda work as fishermen, and all of them are Malays. A total of 800 registered fishermen hold Class A licenses, and nearly 400 fishermen own personal boats. The boats used are fiberglass type, measuring 30 x 8 feet, equipped with 115 horsepower engines.
After that, we were taken to the “Pasar Bisik-Bisik” Complex to witness firsthand a very unique method of trading that cannot be found elsewhere. The fishermen’s catch is sold to wholesalers based on mutually agreed prices offered in whispers. The visit concluded with a tour of a fiberglass boat manufacturing site, operated entirely by local craftsmen.
This visit was attended by Dr. Amiruddin Bin Muhamed, Chief Executive Officer of MAIPk, MAIPk officers, as well as representatives from the Perak State Fisheries Department.
