Agrobank lancar program buru ikan asing di Tasik Ampang Hilir

The Agrobank, Malaysia's financial institution, has launched a program to combat the introduction of foreign fish species into Tasik Ampang Hilir, aiming to preserve the local fish species and maintain the balance of the aquatic ecosystem. Tengku Ahmad Badli Shah Raja Hussin, the President and CEO of Agrobank, emphasized the importance of environmental conservation in ensuring the long-term sustainability of the agro-food sector.

He stated that the initiative seeks to encourage Agrobank employees to actively participate in preserving the natural resources for future generations.

The program, titled "Land-based Fishery Conservation: Mitigating the Introduction of Foreign Fish," involves approximately 250 participants from seven agencies and organizations, including 43 Agrobank staff members. Key activities include netting, trapping, fishing, and harpooning the invasive species using equipment provided by the Fisheries Department.

As part of the conservation efforts, Agrobank has also released 1,400 juvenile native fish into the lake, comprising 1,100 silver catfish and 300 river catfish. This action is supported by the importance highlighted by the Fisheries Department, which reports that 146 out of 154 recorded fish species in Tasik Ampang Hilir are invasive, accounting for 94.8% of the species. Only eight native species, such as gourami, snakehead, mudskipper, and catfish, have been recorded in the lake.

The Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) program is also in collaboration with the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment (NRES), Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL), Aquaria KLCC, TCE Tackles, and the Malaysia Association of Pisciculture. The CEO of the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, Isham Ishak, praised Agrobank's support for the CSR initiative, stating that corporate sector involvement can strengthen efforts to protect the environment through cooperation between the government, private sector, and society.

He expressed hope that strategic collaboration like this can continue and expand to more initiatives supporting sustainable fisheries management and national biodiversity conservation.

Ahmad Ariff Abu Bakar, the Agrobank Development Manager, mentioned that the program is one of more than 30 activities carried out by the Fisheries Department to help restore the balance between the populations of native and invasive fish species in the lake and the rivers. He emphasized the importance of raising awareness about the need to preserve native fish species, particularly in Tasik Ampang Hilir, which has a high number of invasive fish population.