Sabah State Chief Deputy Minister Calls For Worldwide Efforts To Protect Ocean Area

KOTA KINABALU (Sabah, Malaysia), March 19 (Bernama) -- Deputy Chief Minister Yahya Hussin has called for world-wide efforts to protect the ocean area, thus minimising ecosystem degradation. He said this was necessary as the ecosystem degradation was not confined to the coastal belt but has spread to remote areas due to water movement. "Pollutants introduced locally become a global problem in the course of time. Their biomagnification in marine organisms consumed by humans creates health hazards. "Oceans are common necessity that needs to be protected by all and for all. This calls for worldwide efforts," he said when launching the Annual International Seminar on Marine Science and Aquaculture - Ocean Health and Our Future organised by Sabah University of Malaysia's Borneo Marine Research Institute in Likas, near here Tuesday. Yahya, who is also State Minister of Agriculture Development and Food Industry, said despite advancements in fishing technology, the capture fisheries production had not improved beyond the 90 million tonnes worldwide, and many of the commercially important fish stocks have lost sustainability. "Globally, fish has been harvested at rates far beyond their reproductive capacity of replenishment and this is the most serious challenge to sustainable management of commercial fisheries," he said. In addition to direct pressure on seafood resources, he said habitat degradation, biodiversity loss and effects of climate change are acting simultaneously to threaten sustainability. Besides seafood, the oceans also support the economic sectors such as tourism, shipping and energy, offering opportunities for sourcing pharmaceuticals to treat human diseases and cosmetic products. "In fact, the marine bio prospecting is an increasingly important topic for the pharmaceutical industry. Marine and coastal resources industries in the world are reported to represent more than five per cent of the global gross domestic product. "Oceans also provide the so-called ‘non-market’ benefits such as climate regulation, carbon sequestration and biodiversity conservation. All these services will be downgraded or lost if oceans are not in a good state of health," he said. "Since fish landings from the capture fisheries are not increasing to match the demand, aquaculture has to develop to supplement fish supply. "The current level of production which is reported to be more than 63 million tonnes is not enough to meet human requirements. I know there are challenges in its developments but they have to be addressed," he said. -- BERNAMA