Muda Dam water levels drop, impacting Tasik Gubir fishermen

The once-full Tasik Gubir, a vital water source for the Muda Dam, is now visibly shrinking, its bed exposed by the ongoing hot weather and drought. This dramatic change has forced fishing boats to move further into the lake, their hulls scraping against the increasingly visible bottom.

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The lake water is too hot, so the fish don't move much. If you compare it to before, I used to get up to RM200 a day, but now it's hard to even get RM100.

For the local fishermen, this environmental shift translates directly into economic hardship. Mad Yusop Mat Ali, a 41-year-old fisherman, described a drastic drop in his daily catch, from 30 kilograms to just five. "The lake water is too hot, so the fish don't move much," he explained, noting that his daily earnings have halved, making it difficult to even cover fuel costs.

"My nets get damaged almost every day because of the wood and shallow water. If it gets stuck on a tree stump, I have to cut it and make a new net, which costs RM180," Mad Yusop added, highlighting the increased operational expenses. Some days, he returns with no catch, unable to recoup the RM15 to RM30 spent on petrol.

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My nets get damaged almost every day because of the wood and shallow water. If it gets stuck on a tree stump, I have to cut it and make a new net, which costs RM180.

Husin Awang Kechil, 84, who has fished on the lake for over 30 years, called the current situation the worst he has ever experienced. He reported catching only 2 kilograms of fish on a recent day, earning just RM12. "Some days I come back empty-handed, and I've even made only RM1," he said, attributing the decline to the shrinking water levels which began early in the year and are expected to worsen if the heat persists.

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I have returned empty-handed. If I catch a little fish, sometimes the money for petrol isn't even covered. That's why many fishermen choose not to go out. If there's a lot of water, it's easy to set up nets and fish are easier to find.

The impact is also felt at the Tasik Gubir Freshwater Fish Collection and Distribution Center. Mohd. Nazmi Yusop, 30, stated that daily fish intake has plummeted from 200-300 kilograms to a mere 50-60 kilograms. "This season is really bad, only around 50 to 60 kg a day. Before, the bins could be full of fish, now many bins are empty," he said, noting a significant decrease in the number of fishermen heading out to work.

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The income is really bad. Today I only got 2kg of lampam fish sold at RM6 per kilogram, so I only got RM12. Some days I come back empty-handed and I've even made only RM1.