Government moves to tighten laws after Mardi-linked release of invasive fish
The government will amend existing fisheries regulations to prevent a repeat of the recent incident involving the release of invasive fish species during a Malaysian Agricultural Research and Development Institute (Mardi) event.
Agriculture and Food Security Minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Sabu said the amendments to the Land Fisheries (Water and Aquaculture) Rules are being carried out in collaboration with state authorities.
“The changes will cover approval procedures, a list of prohibited species, enforcement powers, and penalties for violations. This is to ensure stronger control over the release of alien species into public waters,” he told Parliament.
Mohamad was responding to Datuk Adnan Abu Hassan (PN-Kuala Pilah), who questioned the government’s action against Mardi after the institute released the fish during a fishing competition held as part of the Showtech 2025 programme.
The minister added that the Fisheries Department is working closely with non-governmental organisations such as Skuad Pemburu Ikan Asing (SPIA) to monitor and control the spread of invasive species.
“Through this collaboration, trained volunteers will conduct regular inspections and remove invasive fish where necessary,” he said.
The government hopes these steps will close existing gaps in enforcement and strengthen protection of the country’s freshwater ecosystems.
