KUCHING: Consumers in Sarawak are forking out more money to consume seafood during the ongoing northeast monsoon season.
According to the Meteorological Department (METMalaysia), the northeast monsoon which started on Nov 7, 2022 will last until March 2023.
State Fishermen’s Association of Sarawak (Penesa) chairman Awangku Tajudin Awangku Ibrahim told New Sarawak Tribune that there has been a decrease of about 80 per cent in fish landings in recent months.
He said fish landings began to decline in November and were expected to continue until February or March.
“This has affected supply in the market, and the price of fish has increased between 30 per cent and 50 per cent,” he said.
Lower supply has thus resulted in higher market prices, he added.
He also said most of the fish sold in the local markets were frozen fish supplied by companies and the price of frozen fish was lower because the price was controlled by the Malaysian Fisheries Development Authority.
“Suppliers had to deplete their frozen fish stocks in cold storage to fulfil market demand, but these were not being replenished quickly enough because not many people could sail out,” said Awangku, a fisherman for 35 years.
Based on his observation, the increase in the price of fish was due to the attitude of some fishmongers and retailers who increased prices almost overnight with the reasoning that supplies and stocks were hard to come by.
However, checks at Petanak Central Market, Stutong Community Market, Sg Maong Market, Sg Apong Market and Medan Niaga Satok here on Tuesday found the majority of fishmongers were selling fish at the set price.
He insisted that the hike in prices was only done by those who were unscrupulous.
Fishmonger Mat Jasni, 54, sells fish that he chooses himself from suppliers at Bintawa.
He also makes sure that he sells the fish at the set market price.
“It is most likely that fish prices at some locations are inflated because some fishmongers do not get their stocks directly from reputable suppliers and wholesalers. Some made the lame excuse that demand supposedly far outweighed supply during major festive periods.
“For example, I sell ikan kembung (mackerel) at RM14 per kg.
A secondary seller who gets his supplies from me may resell it at RM15 per kg.
“It is somewhat normal if prices are slightly higher when sold by a secondary seller, but not to the extent that there is a hike of between RM4 to RM5 per kg as claimed by some.
That is far too high,” he said.
Mat, who operates at Medan Niaga Satok, said other fish sold at the set market price were cencaru for RM10 per kg and selar for RM18 per kg.
He added that usually wholesalers and suppliers will not raise prices when fish is harder to catch during the monsoon season but would instead limit the quantity purchased compared with normal days.
Fishmonger Ng Boon Kong, 56, said the price of kembung had increased to between RM12 and RM15 per kg, compared to RM8 and RM10 per kg previously.
He said the price of chub mackerel also rose to RM28 per kg, compared to RM20 and RM22 per kg.
“Seabass (siakap) is selling at RM19 per kg from RM14 per kg previously and cuttlefish is up from RM27 to RM30 per kg,’’ he said.
Kong said the price of smaller fish species like ikan selar kuning (yellowstrap scad) had now gone up from RM18 to RM24 per kg.
He said when the price of selar kuning was at RM18 per kg, customers normally bought between 3kg and 5kg.
However, with the RM24 per kg price tag, they tend to buy below three kilos.
“The price of medium-sized prawns harvested in prawn farms has stabilised at RM27 per kg but consumers have to pay RM60 per kg for sea prawns,” Ng added
Apart from the monsoon season, demand and supply factors also contributed to the hike in prices of seafood.
“It is a yearly affair and the majority of our consumers are prepared for it,’’ he said when met at his stall at Sg Apong Market in Pending.
Ng, who has been operating the business for 20 years at the market and also a former fisherman himself, said only 10 types of fishes were on sale during the monsoon period from November to March.
“Outside the monsoon period –from June to October – there are more than 30 types of fishes available,” he added.
Fishing during the monsoon season can be a costly and risky endeavour for local fishermen.
To set out to sea for a week, they need to spend a minimum RM 3,000 on equipment and supplies, before they even begin to catch fish.
Fisherman Kho Siew Leong, 62, said they were wary of heading to the sea when the weather was bad because the boats were costly.
“With a limited catch of only 200-300 kg during this time, and the added costs of going out to sea, the financial risks can be high … not worth it,” he added.
However, fishing conditions are generally more favourable outside of the monsoon season, when fishermen can expect to catch significantly more fish.
He said, during these months, a good catch could reach up to 1 ton of fish.
Another fisherman, Ahim Jasah, 48, shared Kho’s view. He noticed that the fish he caught were getting smaller.
“It also costs more to run a boat these days, because you burn more fuel sailing out farther,” he said.
“Last time, I could earn over RM2,000 to RM3,000 each trip.
Now I only earn less than RM2,000 after deducting my costs,” added Ahim, who has been fishing for 30 years.
He also said fishermen often have to sail even farther these days because the fishes were moving.
“The normal spots I knew 10 years ago are rather bare now.”
When asked why they sell their catch to middlemen, Kho and Ahim cited exhaustion and lack of storage facilities as the main reasons.
After a long week at sea, they may simply want to sell their catch as quickly as possible, without having to worry about finding a buyer or storing the fish.
The middlemen provide a convenient solution, as they are readily available to purchase the catch and take care of the storage and distribution.
