Billfish Conservation

Protecting marine life is everyone responsibility, billfish conservation is particularly crucial for RPBIC continuity. Without billfish left in Rompin, we could not continue to have RPBIC.

Our Ocean provide primary source of protein for approximately 3 billion of 7.9 billion world population (June 2021). The seafood industry has significantly impacted the environment. The United Nations Food and Agricultural Organization estimates that 85% of marine fish stocks are either fully exploited or overfished.

Fisheries throughout the world throw away more fish than they keep. This incidental catch of non-target species, known as bycatch, is harmful to many species including our billfish. Bycatch maybe the main threats affecting the migratory billfish population in Rompin. (data from https://www.worldwildlife.org)

NGO & GOVERNMENT AGENCIES

  • PAHANG MARINE LIFE CONSERVATION (MALCONS)

  • INSTITUTE OF OCEANOGRAPHY AND MARINE STUDY (INOCEM-IIUM)

  • LEMBAGA KEMAJUAN IKAN MALAYSIA (LKIM)

  • KEMENTERIAN PELAJARAN MALAYSIA / JABATAN PENDIDIKAN PAHANG

  • JABATAN PERIKANAN NEGERI PAHANG

  • AGENSI PENGUATKUASAAN MARITIM MALAYSIA (APMM)

  • JABATAN LAUT MALAYSIA

  • DEPARTMENT OF OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH (DOSH)

PRIVATE COMPANIES

  • TNB ILSAS

  • ETS MALAYSIA (TEST CENTER MALAYSIA)


BILLFISH CONSERVATION PARTNERS

MALCONS


INOCEM-IIUM

INOCEM-IIUM is conducting seven (7) research that will help billfish conservation effort. The first phase involving study of stomach contents and diets of billfish has started via collaboration with LKIM

LEMBAGA KEMAJUAN IKAN MALAYSIA PAHANG

  • Arrangement for billfish samples from trawlers' by-catches for analysis by researchers at IIUM.

  • Data for billfish landed via by-catches from trawlers

TEST CENTER MALAYSIA


JABATAN PERIKANAN PAHANG




BILLFISH CONSERVATION INITIATIVES

"Catch Tag & Release" for RPBIC 2019 Scoring

Enforcement of IGFA Rules & Regulation during RPBIC 2019

Technical Research by IIUM

The Billfish
Sanctuary

BILLFISH CONSERVATION RESEARCH BY INOCEM-IIUM:

Oceanography


Fish Behavior & Mobility


Reproductive & Breeding


Diet & Stomach Contents

Social Impact Studies

Marine Laws

Sustainable Development

Billfish Catch Tag & Release

Fish tagging for RPBIC 2019 was done in collaboration using FishNTag online tagging system.

Further information for fish tagging is available at this link - http://www.fishyology.com/2016/11/fish-n-tag-asias-first-conservation-app.html


Landing Billfish

Retain billfish in the water and allow it to calm down for easier tagging. It's dangerous to anglers and billfish to tag while it's jumping or thrashing.

Target Tagging Area

Tagging at the dorsal muscle well behind the head and gill plates, above the lateral line and away from all vital organs

Tagging Billfish

Retain billfish in the water and allow it to calm down for easier tagging. It's dangerous to anglers and billfish to tag while it's jumping or thrashing.

Type of Tag


Tag Poles


Threat to Our Billfish









ETHICAL FISHING

"As anglers, it’s up to us to preserve the fisheries and habitats that make our sport possible. By following ethical angling practices, we are doing our part now to make sure future generations have the opportunity to enjoy the sport as much as we do. " - Ethical Angler (ethicalangler.com)

Picture: The Billfish Foundation

Links for ethical fishing:

  1. https://www.purefishing.com/pages/mitchell-education-ethical-angling

  2. http://www.ethicalangler.com/the-code-of-ethical-angling.html

  3. https://www.nationalgeographic.org/encyclopedia/sustainable-fishing