KUALA NERUS, Oct 27 (Bernama) -- The blue economy should aim to raise incomes and expand employment opportunities for coastal communities while protecting the environment, said Universiti Malaysia Terengganu (UMT) vice-chancellor Prof Dr Suriyani Muhamad.
She said abundant natural resources did not automatically translate into greater prosperity for a community unless they were managed effectively.
According to her, the blue economy extends beyond fisheries to include aquaculture, shipping, coastal tourism, marine research and the development of products derived from marine resources.
“More importantly, it is how these resources are managed and utilised to ensure all share their benefits without harming the environment.
“The blue economy is about making use of marine and aquatic resources to raise incomes, create employment opportunities and improve livelihoods, while ensuring the resources are conserved for future generations,” she said in a statement today.
Suriyani said the 13th Malaysia Plan (13MP) reported that the value of Malaysia's fisheries subsector increased from RM11.3 billion in 2020 to RM11.8 billion in 2024, with average annual growth of 1.2 per cent.
She said container throughput at Malaysian ports increased from 25.973 million twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs) in 2020 to 29.863 million TEUs in 2024, while visitors to marine parks rose from 20,000 in 2021 to 586,000 in 2024, reflecting marine resources' contribution to a range of economic activities.
However, she said the main challenge was ensuring that this growth benefited the public, particularly coastal communities.
“Imagine if fishermen’s catches were not simply sold as they are, but also processed, packaged and marketed as higher-value products. Such efforts could create business opportunities, increase incomes and reduce seafood waste,” she said.
She added that the Department of Fisheries Malaysia's 2024 Agricultural Census recorded aquaculture output of 484,300 tonnes of marine and freshwater fish, while production in the broodstock, fish seed and ornamental fish categories totalled 6.5 billion.
The figures highlighted the scale of Malaysia's aquaculture industry and the opportunities to grow related economic activities, she said; however, higher production alone was insufficient, as industry players needed access to financing, technology, training, storage facilities and markets to expand their operations.
She said the marine sector offers young people a broad range of career paths, from marine technology and engineering to modern aquaculture, research, logistics, and tourism, and that the right skills can help them become skilled professionals, entrepreneurs, and innovators in the marine-based economy.
“Fishermen and small-scale entrepreneurs need support so they can move beyond supplying raw materials and have opportunities to produce goods that offer better returns. Cooperatives, direct marketing and digital platforms could be explored based on the needs of local communities,” she said.
Suriyani said the pursuit of profit should not come at the expense of marine sustainability, as this could harm the environment, threaten food supplies and affect people's livelihoods.
She said UMT, as a higher education institution specialising in marine studies, had a responsibility to contribute its expertise through research, technology and talent development.
“We need to ensure that the wealth of our seas benefits us today without compromising future generations’ ability to make a living from these resources.
“Addressing these challenges requires cooperation among various stakeholders, including the government, industry, universities and the public. Each has a role to play in ensuring that economic opportunities are shared,” she said.
-- BERNAMA