ID :
217279
Wed, 11/30/2011 - 06:12
Auther :

Fisheries Dept Installs TED Device In Trawlers To Rescue Turtles

KEMAMAN (Malaysia), Nov 30 (Bernama) -- The fisheries department has begun a pilot project on the use of the Turtle Excluder Device (TED), with the cooperation of six fishermen in the district. Fisheries director-general Ahamad Sabki Mahmood said the device would be installed in fishing trawlers used to catch shrimps during the monsoon season, from November until March next year. He said the device was aimed at rescuing turtles which had become endangered, thus saving the marine ecosystem and helping to guarantee the income of fishermen. He was speaking to reporters after opening the study and use of TED in fishing trawlers during the monsoon season in Kemaman district here today. It was found that the use of TED resulted in lesser diesel fuel consumption and more quality and clean (fish) catch, among others. If the study of the pilot project is found to be successful, the department will consider the mandatory use of the device among fishermen nationwide. The Kemaman waters were selected as the TED study location as the Teluk Mak Nik beach in Kampung Geliga here was the site of the highest turtle landing in Peninsular Malaysia, and the third highest after Selingan Island in Sabah and Talang Talang Island in Sarawak. Ahamad Sabki said so far, countries which had regulated the use of TED to fishing trawlers, among others, were the United States, United Kingdom, Australia and New Zealand. Based on an initial study conducted by the fisheries department in 1996 and researchers from Australia and United States, it was found that TED brought several benefits. Among others, turtles trapped in trawlers could easily swim out through the device, thereby reducing turtle deaths due to traps in the net. -- BERNAMA

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