MUAR, Oct 21 — Sungai Muar which used to be rich with fish such baung and giant river prawns is now a thing of the past as fish and other aquatic animals are fast depleting due to river pollution.      

Muar Fishermen Association chairman, Zainal Abdul Jalil said this was because rapid development of industries, including factories which dumped chemical wastes and affluents into the river had threatened the survival of various species of fish. 

“I have been informed by inland fishermen that they found it hard to catch fish as stocks had disappeared.

“Now these fishermen, including anglers have to move to the sea to fish while others sought work in other sectors,” he told Bernama here today. 

Zainal said there were about 300 fishermen in Sungai Muar and now the number had drastically reduced.           

He said the effort of the Fisheries Department in replenishing the river with fish fries was in vain as most of them died before they could grow. 

“Some fishermen who resorted to rearing fish in cage suffered big losses as their fish also did not survive.            

“I myself have started cage fish farming but failed,” he said. 

Apart from that, the river is also said to be getting shallower, especially during the dry season.

“These problems have discouraged fishermen from going to the river as a livelihood,” he said. 

Hence he proposed the government assist fishermen to start fish ponds and sharecropping of cattles for their future survival. — Bernama