Terubok (Tenualosa toli) with roe should be banned from 'VIP tables' with immediate effect to help conserve the declining fish population, says a Sarawak-based researcher.

The researcher, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said politicians and senior government officials should stop serving the fish during official functions with immediate effect.

He said Sarawakians often try to impress their peninsular counterparts by serving terubok with roe at meals, or by giving the fish to guests.

The researcher also said it was ironical that fishermen have been more receptive to conservation messages that "highly educated politicians".

"Fishermen have not objected when told to stop catching the fish during the spawning season for a couple of years, although they know they will lose thousands of ringgit as a result," he said.

"But politicians start dropping names and instruct junior government staff to catch the fish. We don't mind if they catch one or two fish, instead of sackfuls. Officers who refuse such requests may even be transferred out of Sarawak."

He said this has created discontent among fishermen who feel they are being deprived of income.

"The price of terubok with roe is easily between RM25 to RM35 per kilogramme, as each fish could weigh between 800 grams and 1.8 kg. The salted roe is priced at between RM50 to RM300 per kilogramme," he said.

Rising demand

The researcher also blamed politicians for having "spoilt" conservation efforts that had started from scratch and which had been painstakingly built up with co-operation from locals.

He said over-fishing would not become an issue in Sarawak if the activity is banned during the spawning season.

However, recent demand from Peninsular Malaysia for Sarawak's famed terubok with roe has led to problems.

For this reason, the researcher said tourists would also have to be educated on the need to conserve the species, and to leave out fish with roe from their 'take home' haul as this would also reduce supply.

The species formerly occurred in large numbers in the river estuaries of Sarawak, but this has undergone a dramatic decline.

Agriculture and Agro-Based Industries Ministry parliamentary secretary Rohani Karim had earlier said the terubok will become extinct within three years if its spawning grounds are not protected.

She called for legal provisions to enable action to be taken under Section 29(1) Wildlife Protection Ordinance 1998 now widely used to conserve the turtle population.

A major cause is that the spawning grounds of the fish, at river estuaries, are being disturbed by sand excavation activities.
JIMMY TEOH is malaysiakini's Sarawak-based stringer.