The Agri-Food and Veterinary Authority (AVA) wants fish farmers to increase their production to 17 tonnes per half-hectare of farm. Currently, farmers produce varying amounts.
While many said it is possible, farmers in eastern Singapore said the fish farming infrastructure must be improved quickly in order to achieve this target.
Fish farmers there feel hampered by the lack of proper infrastructure to load or unload their stocks at Pasir Ris Beach Park.
They have been regularly fined for illegally embarking and disembarking at the park because the authorities deem it as a safety and security issue.
A Maritime Port Authority spokesperson said: “The illegal beaching of motorised boat along the beach at Pasir Ris Beach Park is of concern as firstly, such practices endanger the safety of the person on the boat and the integrity of the boat’s hull.
“Secondly, the use of motorised boats close to the beach endangers other beach users. The beaches and water off Pasir Ris Beach Park are used by the public and recreational boats such as canoe, kayaks and sail boats.”
To avoid the fines, the farmers say they have to load and unload at Changi Creek, next to Changi Jetty - which is double the distance from Pasir Ris Beach Park. This also means an additional costs of some S$2,000 a month on fuel.
Climbing a ladder up to Changi Jetty is the only way for fish farmers in the eastern waters of Singapore to legally load and unload supplies and fish stocks that can sometimes weigh hundreds of kilograms. And the Manpower Ministry’s Workplace Safety and Health has deemed this practice to be dangerous.
Farmers said they have appealed for proper facilities for the past two years. And while the authorities mull over a temporary jetty, many have given up because of other constraints.
Philip Lim, CEO of Singapore Marine Aquaculture Cooperative (SMAC), said: “There are a lot of farmers who have quit. Especially this year, there are a lot of farms that have been sold.
“Without infrastructure, what for? We are just like offshore prisoner(s), we cannot have relatives on board, we cannot have friends, farmer-to-farmer - cannot visit each other. Just last week, there was one farmer that was visiting another farmer and got caught by the Coast Guard.”
Their fish farming activities are regulated not just by the Agri-Food and Vetrinary Authority, but also other government agencies, including Maritime Port Authority (MPA) and Police Coast Guard.
Since May 2011, the SMAC has also written to the Singapore Land Authority to request for a site to build a temporary jetty off Lorong Halus.
Farmers tell Channel NewsAsia that producing the amount of fish required also means spending S$120,000 on fish feed, which will add to their overall cost.
