Overview of Fisheries and Aquaculture in Malaysia
1. Global Overview
The global fisheries and aquaculture sector is a vital part of the world's food system, providing
nutrition, livelihoods, and economic benefits to all countries. In 2022, global fisheries and
aquaculture production reached a record high of 223.2 million tonnes, with aquaculture
surpassing capture fisheries for the first time. This growth highlights the sector's potential to
meet the rising global demand for aquatic foods.
The sector faces challenges such as illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing, and the need
for better data collection and management. However, it also offers opportunities to improve
food security, nutrition, and livelihoods.
The industry is divided into three main sectors:
No. Sector Remarks
1 Marine Capture Contributes significantly to the country’s seafood supply, with
Fisheries major fishing zones in the South China Sea, the Straits of
Malacca, and the Sulu-Sulawesi Seas.
2 Inland Fisheries Focuses on freshwater fish from lakes, rivers, and reservoirs,
with species like tilapia, catfish, and snakehead being popular.
3 Aquaculture A rapidly growing sector, including brackish water and
freshwater aquaculture. Common species include shrimp
(black tiger prawn and white shrimp), grouper, seabass, and
ornamental fish.
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Table 1: Total World Fisheries and Aquaculture Production from 1990s to 2022.
Figure 1: Percentage of Global Marine and Inland Fisheries Production in 2022.
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2. Overview of Fisheries and Aquaculture in Malaysia
Malaysia covers a total area of 329,847 km² consisting of two geographical regions, namely:
West Malaysia (also known as Peninsular Malaysia) and East Malaysia. The country’s total
coastline length is 9,323 km and total area of the exclusive economic zone is 198,173 km 2.
Malaysia has a well-established fisheries and aquaculture industry that plays a crucial role in
food security, economic growth, and rural development. The fisheries sector is vital to the
economy and food security of Malaysia as it supports rural development by creating
employment opportunities as well as serves as an important source of animal protein. In 2021,
the gross domestic product from fisheries was 0.8 % and the fish available for consumption was
34.08 kg/capita. The Department of Fisheries Malaysia under the Ministry of Agriculture and
Food Industries is the leader in the transformation of a sustainable and competitive fishery in
the country.
The two major components of the fisheries sector are marine capture fisheries (coastal and
offshore) and aquaculture. The greatest bulk of the fish landings come from the capture
fisheries with the rest from aquaculture, while production from the inland fisheries is small.
Table 2: Total fishery and aquaculture production of Malaysia by quantity (MT) from 2015 to
2021
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Table 3: Production of major species/groups of species from marine capture fisheries of
Malaysia by quantity (MT)
Marine
Inland
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Table 4: Production of major species/groups of species from aquaculture of Malaysia by
quantity (MT)
Table 5: Export and import of fishery products of Malaysia by quantity (MT) and value (USD
1,000)
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The government, through agencies like the Department
of Fisheries Malaysia (DOF), promotes sustainable
fisheries management and aquaculture expansion
under initiatives like the National Agro-Food Policy (NAP
2.0) 2021-2030 and Blue Economy policies.
Figure 2: Overview of Fisheries and Aquaculture Performance in 2023 (DOF, Malaysia)
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3. Challenges in Malaysia’s Fisheries and Aquaculture Industry
1) Overfishing and Resource Depletion
Declining wild fish stocks due to excessive fishing pressure, illegal, unreported, and
unregulated (IUU) fishing.
Weak enforcement of fishing regulations and marine protected areas.
2) Environmental and Climate Change Issues
Coastal pollution, habitat destruction (e.g., mangrove deforestation), and ocean
acidification.
Rising sea temperatures and extreme weather events disrupting aquaculture
productivity.
3) Disease Outbreaks in Aquaculture
Frequent outbreaks of shrimp diseases (e.g., White Spot Syndrome, Early Mortality
Syndrome).
High dependence on antibiotics, raising concerns about antimicrobial resistance.
4) Feed and Input Cost Dependency
Heavy reliance on imported fish meal and soybean-based feeds, leading to
fluctuating production costs.
The need for sustainable and alternative protein sources for aquaculture feeds.
5) Limited Land and Water Resources
Conflicts between aquaculture development and other industries (tourism,
agriculture, real estate).
Concerns over water pollution from aquaculture effluents affecting nearby
ecosystems.
6) Market and Trade Barriers
Export restrictions, international competition, and strict food safety standards
imposed by the European Union and other major seafood-importing countries.
Need for certification (e.g., Good Aquaculture Practices, ASC, MSC) to access
premium markets.
7) Labor Shortages and Dependency on Foreign Workers
The industry heavily depends on migrant labor, leading to workforce stability
concerns.
Difficulty in attracting local youth due to the perception of fisheries as low-income
and labor-intensive.
8) Technology and Innovation Gaps
Slow adoption of smart aquaculture technologies, automation, and AI-driven
monitoring systems.
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Need for better research collaboration between universities, industry players, and
government agencies.
4. Way Forward and Solutions
o Sustainable Fisheries Management – Stricter enforcement of quotas, marine protected
areas, and eco-friendly fishing technologies.
o Eco-friendly Aquaculture – Adoption of Recirculating Aquaculture Systems (RAS),
integrated multi-trophic aquaculture (IMTA), and biofloc technology to improve
sustainability.
o High Density Cultivation – Development of technology for high density cultivation and
reduce dependency on land and water resource, thus lower risk.
o Digitalization and Smart Aquaculture – Use of AI, IoT, and blockchain for real-time
monitoring, traceability, and farm efficiency.
o Strengthening Local Capacity – Upskilling workers, incentives for youth participation,
and promoting high-value species for export.
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