Stricter eye on oil spills to protect fish cages in open sea

Stricter eye on oil spills to protect fish cages in open sea

SUBANG: Surveillance will be increased to ensure that oil spillage from ships do not reach open sea fish cages, said Department of Environment director-general Datuk Rosnani Ibrahim

She said it was difficult to trace those responsible for oil spillage or sludges as a lot of ships ply the Malacca Straits daily.

Rosnani was commenting on a report in The Star yesterday, which stated that Johor’s seafood paradise of Kukup was battling pollution after sludge flowed into open sea fish cages off Tanjung Piai on Saturday.

“It is difficult to trace who is responsible because of the high number of ships in the area,” she said yesterday.

Kukup Fish Breeders Association chairman Ong Lian Lee said in the report that there were some 70 breeders and more than 7,500 cages in the area.

Rosnani said cleaning works were now in progress and the department was working with the Asia Pacific Maritime Institute to control the spill.

Businesses and industries can now apply for the Prime Minister’s Hibiscus Award 2006/07, which is the prestigious private sector award for environmental excellence and conscientiousness.

The award, launched 10 years ago, honours companies that demonstrate the highest commitment to reducing the impact of its own operations or activities on the environment and those who emphasise sustainable environmental management, said the award’s organising committee chairman Datuk Kok Wee Kiat.

Deputy Natural Resources and Environment Minister Datuk S. Sothinathan, who launched the event yesterday, urged companies, especially the small- and medium-size industries, to participate

The award is jointly organised by four non-profit organisations: the Business Council for Sustainable Development in Malaysia, Environmental Management and Research Association of Malaysia, Federation of Malaysian Manufacturers and Malaysian International Chamber of Commerce and Industry.