Malaysia-Vietnam Fisheries Cooperation Could Train More Local Skippers, NEKMAT Says

Malaysia’s fisheries sector could use cooperation with Vietnam to produce more highly skilled local skippers and make fishing a professional career for young people, according to the National Fishermen’s Association, or NEKMAT.

NEKMAT General Manager Azrin Shah Ismail said discussions with the Department of Fisheries and the Malaysian Fisheries Development Authority are still at an early stage. NEKMAT would participate as an industry player. Any cooperation would need to account for legal requirements, resource sustainability, environmental concerns and the interests of Malaysian fishermen.

One possible area is tuna fishing in the high seas beyond the exclusive economic zone, followed by landing and processing the catch in Malaysia. Azrin Shah said Vietnam has more advanced experience and technology in deep-sea fishing, while Malaysia could further develop downstream seafood processing.

Landing and processing catches locally could create jobs onshore and help train Malaysian skippers through skills transfer. “We are indeed very short of local skippers. We need to make greater efforts to turn fishing into a professional career,” he said.

Azrin Shah also suggested that the government consider technical and vocational education and training programmes or internationally recognised certification. Such programmes could give Malaysians opportunities to work and gain experience on tuna vessels in countries including Japan and South Korea. He said the sector also offers opportunities in marketing and frozen-product logistics, not only in fishing itself. NEKMAT is seeking sales agents and logistics partners while expanding sales through Shopee.

“

We are indeed very short of local skippers. We need to make greater efforts to turn fishing into a professional career.