General : No Piranha Found Or Caught At Klau Dam In Raub - DOF

KUANTAN, Oct 25 — During the Alien Fish Mitigation Programme at the Klau Dam in Raub, no piranha fish were found or caught over the two-day period starting yesterday, according to Fisheries Director-General Datuk Adnan Hussain. However, this does not definitively prove the absence of the species from the dam, as reported piranhas have been previously confirmed in the area.

The mitigation program aims to control alien fish populations and mitigate potential disruption to native fish species. "Despite finding no piranha fish during this program, continuous monitoring and scientific assessment are essential to determine the species' presence and distribution," Hussain stated in a media release. The Department of Fisheries (DOF) mentioned that in addition to catch activities, they also used the environmental DNA (eDNA) method for research during the program to potentially detect the presence of piranhas in the Klau Dam.

This technique involves analyzing water samples for genetic material left behind by aquatic organisms. The final results of the eDNA analysis will be available once the scientific evaluation process is completed, and any conclusions about the status of piranhas in the Klau Dam should consider this data along with other monitoring information and field evidence.

The DOF emphasized that this program also seeks to lower the alien fish population, evaluate the fish composition in the dam, and raise public awareness about the threats posed by alien species to aquatic biodiversity and ecosystem balance. The two-day programme took place at the approximately 25-square-kilometer dam and involved 150 participants, including 100 anglers, 32 cast-net participants, and 18 gill-net participants.

A total of 156.6 kilograms of alien fish, primarily Peacock Bass, Zebra Tilapia, and Javanese Carp (Lampam Jawa), were recorded throughout the programme.