KUCHING: The 11th Symposium on Diseases in Asian Aquaculture (DAA11) will serve as a platform for Sarawak to share information on diseases in aquaculture.
This augurs well with the State’s vision to develop commercial aquaculture through the establishment of Aquaculture Industrial Zones (AIZ).
According to Deputy Premier Datuk Amar Awang Tengah Ali Hasan, with a 1,000 kilometre-long coastline and huge inland water bodies covering an area of 150,000 hectares, Sarawak has potential in aquaculture to generate export earnings.
“For this reason, I cannot over-emphasise the need for Sarawak to be part of the regional network of information sharing on diseases in aquaculture to protect the State’s aquaculture industry.
“Moreover, I believe that this symposium provides an excellent platform for international partners to establish and enhance research collaborations, as well as market opportunities for aquatic products and aquaculture technologies,” he said.
He said this when officiating the DAA11 at Borneo Convention Centre Kuching (BCCK) on behalf of Premier Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg on Tuesday (Aug 23).
With Sarawak embarking on a full-fledged transformation and capitalising on mega-trends around the world, he noted that its focus is on restructuring and diversifying the economy into high value downstream industries.
“Our top priority now is to build both physical and digital infrastructure to increase efficiency and link Sarawak to the global market.
“This will become the platform for Sarawak’s economy to grow in the coming years, and create a thriving society that enjoys economic prosperity, social inclusivity and sustainable environment,” he explained.
The symposium from Aug 23 to Aug 26, is organised by the Department of Fisheries under the Ministry Agriculture and Food Industries with the Ministry of Modernisation of Agriculture and Regional Development Sarawak and the Fish Health Section of the Asian Fisheries Society.
