The proposed sturgeon farm and caviar production project in Kuala Tahan, Pahang, will not be harmful to the environment.
This assurance came from the Federal Land Development Authority (Felda), which said strict measures would be in place to ensure the project satisfied the necessary legal requirements.
Felda strategic resources deputy director-general Muhammad Sufi Mahbub said the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) for the project was being conducted and the report was expected to be ready in four months.
“If the EIA report found that the area is not suitable, we may find an alternative location.”
Sufi said the 50ha Caviar Park to be located in Kuala Tahan would rear Siberian Sturgeon, Amur Sturgeon, Sterlet Sturgeon and Bester Sturgeon via an aqua-farming technology from South Korea.
“The fish survives mainly on Spirulina and it is not a predator.”
Sufi said the main complex would have breeding ponds with a temperature of 16°C and below, which is suitable for the fish to lay eggs.
“The land given by the state government is 100m above sea level. The ponds will be built at 95m above sea level to avoid flooding.”
He said pending approval from the Felda board of directors, satellite farms would be set up in Felda settlements under its Sentuhan Kasih project to raise the Sturgeon fry until it reached egg-laying age of between 3 and 4 years. It will then be transported to the main complex.
On a related matter, Sufi said only 60 per cent of logging activities would be carried out on the 50ha site. Each tree felled will be compensated to the Pahang government.
Department of Fisheries Malaysia aquaculture development division director Dr Mazuki Hashim said although sturgeon was listed on the Prohibited Fish Species For Import Into Malaysia, the department had carried out an Import Risk Analysis.
“We take into consideration the risks of disease and risks to the environment.”
He said currently, there was no decision from the government to allow imports of the fish until they were satisfied with the system to be adopted by Felda for the project.
