Malaysia once again hosted the Malaysia Agriculture, Horticulture & Agrotourism Show (MAHA) from 11 to 22 September, 2024, at the Malaysia Agro Exposition Park Serdang (MAEPS). This prestigious event serves as a vital platform for showcasing the best of Malaysia’s agricultural, horticultural, and agrotourism industries.

One of the key segments of this year’s event was MyFish Trade, which operates under the MAHA Go Global initiative. This segment specifically targeted the aquaculture and fisheries sectors, with the primary aim of enhancing the global market presence of Malaysian fishery products. By providing a dynamic trade platform, MyFish Trade facilitates essential trade, networking, and business opportunities for local producers and exporters, enabling them to reach broader international markets.

INFOFISH was invited by Lembaga Kemajuan Ikan Malaysia (LKIM) or the Fisheries Development Authority of Malaysia, to participate in this significant event under the Malaysia Pavilion. Sharing the booth with 15 exhibitors from the fisheries and aquaculture sectors, INFOFISH aimed to elevate its brand visibility among stakeholders, particularly within Malaysia. MAHA 2024 was deemed important not only for enhanced networking opportunities, but also as a means to strengthen collective partnerships in the fisheries sector for sustainable practices and innovation. According to the organisers, MAHA 2024 fosters collaboration and drives growth within the aquaculture industry, showcasing Malaysia’s commitment to sustainability and excellence in fisheries management.

The MyFish Trade segment was officially inaugurated by the Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, His Excellency Mr. Mohammad bin Sabu, marking a significant step towards promoting Malaysia’s fishery sector on a global scale.

Thailand has netted more than 1.3 million kilograms of highly destructive blackchin tilapia fish, the government said Tuesday, as it battles to stamp out the invasive species. Shoals of blackchin tilapia, which can produce up to 500 young at a time, have been found in 19 Thai provinces, damaging ecosystems in rivers, swamps and canals by preying on small fish, shrimp and snail larvae. As well as the ecological impact, the government is worried about the effect on the kingdom's crucial fish-farming industry.

Fishing authorities caught 1 332 000 kilograms (1332 tonnes) of blackchin tilapia between February and August 28, according to Nattacha Boonchaiinsawat, the vice-president of a parliamentary committee set up to tackle the spread of the fish. "We talked to local residents and found out that the spread of tilapia has got worse. They found them in small canals, which was not the case before," he told AFP. The outbreak of tilapia will cost the Thai economy at least 10 billion baht (USD 293 million), Nattacha said. The fish, native to West Africa, were first discovered in Thailand's rivers in 2010 before spreading rapidly in 2018 and are now also found in the US state of Florida and in the Philippines. In July, the Thai government declared the eradication of the species a national priority and began encouraging people to consume the fish. Promotional activities in central Phetchaburi province advertised tilapia-based fish sauces and sausages. Restaurants have also increasingly used fish in their cuisine, fried with garlic or sun-dried. It remains unclear how the fish arrived in Thailand, but local media reports have said they could have been imported by a company from Ghana in 2010. A parliamentary investigation is under way to determine the cause of the infestation, Nattacha said.

The Thai government has encouraged locals to catch the fish, offering to pay people 15 baht (USD 0.42) per kilogram. It has also designated 75 vending areas around the country where the fish can be sold. Authorities have released predator species to hunt down the tilapia and are also developing genetically modified blackchin tilapia to produce sterile offspring. A UN science panel warned last year that tilapia is spreading faster than ever, wrecking crops, distributing disease and upending ecosystems. More than 37,000 alien species have taken hold far from their places of origin, costing upwards of USD 400 billion a year in damages and lost income, the UN panel said.

Source: https://www.france24.com/en/live-news/20240903-thailand-nets-1-3-million-kilograms-of-invasive-fish

A 22-day government ban on catching, selling, hoarding and transporting hilsa fish will begin from October 13 to save mother hilsa during peak breeding season.