INFORMATION ON FISHERIES MANAGEMENT IN MALAYSIA

SECTOR OVERVIEW
The fisheries sector is an important sub-sector in Malaysia and plays a significant role in the national economy. Apart from contributing to the national Gross Domestic Product (GDP), it is also a source of employment, foreign exchange and a source of protein supply for the rural population in the country. Fish constitutes 60-70% of the national animal protein intake, with per caput consumption of 47.8 kg per year. The rate of demand for fish as the main source of protein is expected to increase from the current annual consumption of 630 000 tonne to over 1 579 800 tonne by 2010 (using an estimated population of 26 330 000 with a per caput consumption of 60 kg/year). In 1997, the fisheries sector contributed 1.57% to GDP, and it provides employment for more than 79 000 fishermen and 20 000 fish farmers.Basically, the fisheries sector has three main subsectors, namely marine capture fisheries, aquaculture, and inland fisheries.