TAWAU: Several decades ago, fisherman Misdi Amat did not have to go too far out neither had he to wait long before making his catch at Teluk Cowie, the straits between the Tawau on the mainland and Pulau Sebatik.

In those days, Misdi who is now 55, would never fail to hook up some 20 of the ikan Kurau, also known as Threadfin.

Some of this fish, that used to thrive well among the corals and mangrove jungle at Teluk Cowie, registered up to 21kg on the weighing scale.

Then, even though a kati (600gm) of the kurau was sold at only RM1.20 against RM21.00 now, Misdi had been content.

Apart from the kurau, Misdi had also easily hooked up fish like the ikan merah (red snapper) and ikan kerapu (grouper).

Now fishing at Teluk Cowie is no longer like it used to be as the kurau, snapper, grouper and other fish are no longer in abundance to the extent that some of the species are almost gone.

According to Misdi, who started fishing at the age of 20, his catch nowadays has dropped to only about one fifth of what he used to get.

At times, he returned home almost empty-handed due to the rough seas and heavy winds at the straits. If he managed to catch some, the size is far smaller than the 4kg fish that he used to hook up in abundance.

Teluk Cowie coastal fishermen like Misdi could consider themselves lucky if they came home with the catch that includes the kurau fish.

“I think ikan kurau is almost extinct at Teluk Cowie. Only occasionally someone may catch a kurau. However to get one that weighs above 500gm is rare,” he told Bernama.

“It has been years since I last caught a kurau. I do not know where the fish has gone now,” said 48-year-old Ibnu Said, a fishermen from Bergosong, Pulau Sebatik, who is facing a similar predicament as Misdi.

Meanwhile, Amin Yasong, a 61-year-old fisherman from Merotai also appeared glum when enquired about this depressing situation.

“I have just returned after three nights at the sea and my whole catch is not even 10 kg,” he said.

For Misdi, Ibnu and Amin, they know that the major factor, which caused the depletion of fish resources at Teluk Cowie, is the destruction of corals and marine vegetation that served as the breeding and feeding grounds respectively for the fish.

“Coral reefs at several locations, that used to breed a lot of fish, had been destroyed. I believe this is caused by activities of trawlers and the use of banned fishing nets,” said Misdi. He said trawlers can be seen operating at the seven nautical miles wide straits throughout the day.

“The trawlers even invade the river stretches in the evening and night as no enforcement authorities would be around then,” said Amin.

At Tawau, the trawlers are allowed to operate no less than two nautical miles from the coast, hence the straits provides a very restricted space for these vessels to manoeuvre.

“The trawlers scoop and destroy everything in their wake, including the big and small fish and prawns, the fry as well as corals.

“If the corals are destroyed and mangrove trees felled without control, where can the fish and prawn breed? If this situation is left unchecked, there will be no more marine life at Teluk Cowie,” he said.

Abdul Hakim Samaludin, a 44-year-old fisherman from Tanjung Batu, blames the trawler operators for causing destruction to the marine life at the straits.

“Soon, if there is no action either from the authorities or even the fishermen’s community, Tawau people may no longer be able to eat fresh fish from the sea and can only taste that reared (in ponds),” he said.

Misdi also raised his concern that the trawlers might threaten the survival of the yellowish turtles that he regularly came across during his fishing trips.

He believed the turtles, that like to surface and tail the boat that he and his friends were in, could be the leatherbacks.

“We have found a headless turtle floating in the straits but we did not know what had happened to it.”

For Rambayee Lasrima, 38, apart from laying the blame on the trawlers, also claimed that the submerged nets used by some of the coastal fishermen had also contributed to the problem.

“It is very unfortunate that the fishermen are only concerned about their catch and disregarded the destruction caused. If left unchecked, this activity would totally destroy the marine resources, ” he said.

Rambayee recalled that during the 1990s, he was still able to see the glistening and colourful corals in Teluk Cowie, but not anymore.

Tawau Fishermen Association chairman Hasan Timbasal said some time ago the waters of Teluk Cowie was teeming with high quality fish like the pomfret that had its breeding grounds in the straits. He said if the authorities do not apply strict enforcement against the trawlers that also encroached rivers like Sungai Kalabakan, Sungai Serudung, Sungai Merotai and Sungai Imam, one day there would be no more fish there.

“We have reported this to the authorities like the Fisheries Department, Marine Police and Maritime Enforcement Agency but these intrusions continued,” he said.

Hassan said the fishermen are aware that the authorities are shorthanded over the monitoring of the extensive Sabah coast.

For Teluk Cowie fishermen like Hasan, Misdi, Ibnu, Amin and Rambayee, their livelihood would be still under threat if no concrete measures are taken to conserve the marine resources at the straits.

— Bernama