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Treat alien fish species with the same concerns as oil spills

  • Publication Date | March 17, 2017
  • Document Type | Letter to the Editor
  • Programmes | Marine & Fisheries
  • Issues | Biodiversity
  • Tags | African Catfish, alien fish, IUCN
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Sahabat Alam Malaysia learnt to our horror, as reported in a Bahasa Malaysia daily, the irreversible damage to our environment with the invasion of an alien fish species, in this particular case – the African catfish (Clarias gariepinus) into our rivers and ecosystem.  

Alien species that enter a biological niche where they have never before existed can be difficult to control and predict,  which  can have  catastrophic economic consequences, but the authorities do not see it that way.  One of the greatest dangers is that some alien species create synergies with other aliens, with disastrous consequences. As more invaders are accumulating in ecosystems, it can be expected that they will be more disruptive.

Invaders that have appeared to be innocuous for many years may suddenly become dangerous as the result of changing factors such as climate change. The presence of the African catfish in our waterways is  truly disturbing being very large top predators, and thus have the  potential to cause serious threats to the native fish fauna. Our local fishermen have experienced low catches with some returning home empty handed.

Being opportunistic feeders, the African catfish are and will take any fish species which is abundant. They respond quickly to newly available food sources and will change their feeding patterns to match organisms freely available. Young fish feed mostly on small invertebrates in shallow inshore areas. Various factors make this species very difficult to control: omnivorous diet, direct air breathing, ability to walk on land, burrowing capabilities and ability to hide in vegetation. A 2kg African catfish can produce about 45 000 eggs with  larger females producing larger eggs.

In addition, studies conducted in 1972 in central Africa suggested that this species have profound negative ecological effects on aquatic insect communities, amphibian and invertebrate population.  Insect diversity in the  Chleoptera order  has been reduced by up to 78% and Hemiptera  by 66%.

Parasites were also recorded on this catfish, which when translocated could facilitate the spread of these parasites which could lead to local extinctions of indigenous fish species due to their lack of resistance to these new parasites.   

The unprecedented pace of introduction of this alien fish is fish farm breeding,  hatcheries for commercial purposes, release into rivers and ponds by the  public, import for the aquarium fish trade and  other various channels. 

The impact of the African catfish and other alien fish species to our environment  should be treated with the same concerns as oil spills, and the impact  needs more investigation with emphasis on developing techniques for controlling its dispersal.

Many citizens, key sector groups and governments have a poor appreciation of the magnitude and economic costs of the problem. As a consequence, delay in early detection and poor rapid response efforts give invaders time to reproduce, increase in numbers, and spread, making extirpation or control extremely difficult.  Federal and state agencies  need to monitor for new invasions, and to quickly respond when found.

Many of these losses have gone unrecorded in the past, but today, the relevant authorities must realize  the ecological costs of biological invasion in terms of irretrievable loss of native biodiversity and degradation of ecosystem functioning. While the underlying causes of invasive species threats are significant and global in nature, these threats can be effectively dealt with through collaborative efforts at regional and local levels, especially through prevention, early detection and rapid response.

Failing to effectively address the invasives would mean failing to meet the criteria of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).

SAM calls on the Ministry of Agriculture and the Fisheries department to conduct a survey into the waterways where the African catfish are currently found, and the  species they will  most impact on; to stop  further spread of the introduced alien fish and mitigation of the impact of the species already present;  and to prevent the fish from being introduced into systems where they are absent. There is a need to stop fish farming of this alien catfish and to totally ban the import of the African  catfish and all alien fish species.

S M Mohamed Idris

President

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Testimonials

Sahabat Alam Malaysia adalah satu badan bukan kerajaan (NGO) yang telah sekian lama berjuang mempertahan kelestarian alam. Ia juga mendidik masyarakat tentang pentingnya kebersamaan dalam pemikiran dan tindakan agar alam ini dapat kita wariskan kepada generasi hadapan dalam keadaan yang elok dan terpelihara. Dalam pada itu juga SAM giat membantu golongan nelayan pantai dalam memperjuangkan hak-hak mereka sehinggalah tertubuhnya Persatuan Pendidikan dan Kebajikan Nelayan Pantai Malaysia (JARING). Nelayan pantai sepenuh masa ini dididik oleh SAM sehingga mereka mampu memainkan peranan sebagai pemimpin nelayan yang meneruskan kesinambungan memperjuangkan hak-hak nelayan pantai lainnya. Sebagai contoh SAM telah berjaya menyedarkan masyarakat nelayan keperluan menjaga hutan paya bakau untuk kebaikan hasil tangkapan nelayan itu sendiri.
Jamaluddin Mohamad Bualik
Jamaluddin Mohamad BualikPersatuan Pendidikan dan Kebajikan Jaringan Nelayan Pantai Malaysia (JARING)
During the 1980s, I used to read about the Consumers’ Association of Penang (CAP) in the news. After retirement, some time in 2001, while lazing around, I read news about the construction of a carbon in leach plant using sodium cyanide to extract gold in Bukit Koman. My friends and I visited CAP and we were introduced to SAM and her legal team. We discussed the details of filing a case against the gold mining company and the department of environment with Ms Meenakshi Raman and her legal team. That was the beginning of a beautiful friendship between lawyers from SAM and many of us from Bukit Koman. We had many ups and downs in our struggle to shut down the gold mine that was causing a nuisance in our village. But, as a community we never gave up because SAM had our backs.
Hue Fui How
Hue Fui HowSecretary, Bukit Koman Ban Cyanide in Goldmining Action Committee (BCAC)
Sahabat Alam Malaysia adalah sebuah NGO yang memperjuangkan nasib masyarakat luar bandar khasnya. SAM menerima aduan-aduan masyarakat dan menyelesaikan masalah yang dihadapi. SAM telah mewujudkan ramai aktivis-aktivis sosial dan alam sekitar. Pada era 1980 dan 90an SAM sangat dihormati oleh masyarakat dan agensi kerajaan. Apabila media sosial menguasai maklumat maka SAM pun terkesan dan masalah masyarakat terus disalurkan dengan pelbagai cara. SAM perlu mewujudkan aktivis-aktivis pelapis yang muda untuk terus membantu masyarakat. SAM juga perlu membuat perubahan supaya banyak turun kelapangan dan jangan mengharapkan laporan media sahaja. Tingkatkan prestasi sebagaimana pada zaman kegemilangan SAM di era 80-90an.
Che Ani Mt Zain
Che Ani Mt Zain
SAM taught me the importance of social activism and the role it plays in upholding the rights of people and the protection of the environment. In my experience, SAM has never hesitated to speak up in defence of people and their environment, and has gone the extra mile to champion their rights, by helping communities take their battles to the higher ups and even to the courts.
Jessica Binwani
Jessica BinwaniPublic/Private Interest Lawyer
Semenjak kami kenal SAM, banyak pengalaman dan pengetahuan yg kami dapat. Kami telah belajar cara membuat baja asli daripada SAM. Semenjak itu, bermulalah minat kami dalam aktiviti pertanian. Dengan memperolehi kemahiran dalam membuat baja asli dan penanaman lestari, kami juga telah dapat menambahkan pendapatan sampingan kami. Ini lebih baik daripada tanah kami terbiar dan tidak diusahakan. Terima kasih SAM kerana sudi memberi bantuan dan tunjuk ajar kepada Persatuan kami.
Chedo Anak Nyuwen
Chedo Anak NyuwenPersatuan Penduduk Sg Buri, Bakong, Marudi
My journey with SAM started when her community organisers took me to the meet the paddy farmers of Kedah, connecting my growing interest in environmental law with our people who struggle to work the land in the face of pollution, replacement of traditional seeds with commercial hybrids and their accompanying chemical package of fertilisers and weedicides. I then had the honour to work with SAM in the struggle for the rights of the native communities of Sarawak, in defence of their forests from massive logging and destructive mega-projects. In every issue that SAM takes up, she combines rigorous research with the realities and voices of the communities to advocate for policies and laws that care for people and nature. From the courts to the elected legislators to policy makers and implementers and to the United Nations, SAM walks side by side with the communities in Malaysia. How can I not be inspired by the vision and passion of the generations of women and men who coalesce to form SAM?
Chee Yoke Ling
Chee Yoke Lingstudent of SAM, Executive Director of Third World Network, SAM’s sister organisation

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Sahabat Alam Malaysia (Headquarters)
No. 1, Jalan Joki, 11400 Penang,
Malaysia
Tel: +604 827 6930
Fax: +604 827 6932

Sahabat Alam Malaysia (Marudi Office)
129A, First Floor,
Jalan Tuanku Taha,
P.O.Box 216,
98058 Marudi, Baram, Sarawak,
Malaysia
Tel & Fax: +6085 758 973

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