Tawau Fish Market

Kota Kinabalu: Parti Warisan Sabah wants to transform Semporna into a tourism paradise and Tawau into an important seafood hub in the east coast.

Its Vice President Junz Wong said under the party's roadmap, its President Datuk Shafie Apdal has envisioned the east coast to grow by exploiting its natural resources and maximising its potential.

"Fishermen and fish farmers will only have to drop their catch at the hub for processing and export without going through Kota Kinabalu,

"When Tawau port has been upgraded into a seafood export hub, it is hoped that the fishing industry in Sandakan and Lahad Datu will shift to the district,"

Parti Warisan Sabah Vice President Junz Wong

Parti Warisan Sabah Vice President Junz Wong said establishing Tawau as a seafood hub will do away with having to deliver it from the east coast to Kota Kinabalu. The hub will have a lab for the purpose of certificate application and quality test prior to seafood products being exported out.

This move will benefit the people economically and make the industry more efficient. The Tawau port has been identified for the hub in view of its strategic location that is near to Kalimantan and the Celebes Sea.

Red Grouper Kerapu Merah 红瓜子
Red Vlack Grouper Kerapu Merah Hitam 黑瓜子
Red Crab Ketam Suri 花
Mud Crab Ketam Bak
Soft Shell Crab Ketam Lembut

Emperor Star Grouper Kerapu Raja
East Star Grouper Kerapu Tujuh Bintang (Asli)
Seven Star Grouper Kerapu Tujuh Bintang
Tiger Grouper Kerapu Harimau
Nomal Grouper Kerapu Biasa

Tung Fung Lo Siput Tarik
Elephant Shell (Geoduck) Siput Gajah
Fan SHell Scallop (Geoduck) Siput Kipas/Siput Scallop
Sa Pak/Cockies Sa Pak/Kerang
Shall/Oyster Siput Sedut/Tiram

Micky Mouse Grouper Kerapu Tikus
Napoleon Wrasse Ikan Licin
Giant Grouper Ikan Kerantang
Sea Chicken Ikan Ayam-Laut
Black Chicken Ikan Ayam Hitam

Flower Lobster Udang Galah
Mantis Prawn Udang Kamun
Rock Lobster Udang Tatus
Tiger Prawn Udang Harimau
Sea Prawn Udang Laut

Seaweed at Tawau Fish Market
Seaweed for 1 Ringgit for a bunch. The seaweed looks like green salmon eggs growing on stalks. A delicacy in Japan eaten raw. Taste like salty Oysters.

Crabs, clams, oysters, seaweeds, shrimps, lobsters, squids in many colors , shapes and sizes.

Tawau fish trade dependent on supply from Indonesia

The survival of major fish processing plants in Tawau is dependent on the volume and quality of raw materials from Indonesia.

On Indonesia’s status as an important fisheries trading partner for Sabah, ranking only second to Peninsular Malaysia in terms of fish imports during the 1991-1999 period, he said imports from there made up 13-23 per cent (mean 16.4 per cent) of the annual fisheries imports.

Except for 1998-1999, fish exports to Indonesia are negligible, representing only 0.02-1.41 per cent (mean 0.29 per cent) of Sabah fish exports

Fisheries imports from Indonesia can be grouped into four main categories -
1) fish,
2) shrimp,
3) spiny lobster and
4) miscellaneous dried products.

Frozen fish comprising high value species. These 6 species make up the bulk of the annual imports :
1) pomfret,
2) trevally,
3) threadfin,
4) spanish mackerel,
5) snappers and
6) groupers

Other :
1) shrimp (frozen or chilled),
2) spiny lobsters and
3) other miscellaneous products (dried or salted forms).
The average fisheries import prices fluctuated between RM3.46 and 7.69 per kg during the 1991-1999 period.

Statistics for the 1991-1997 period showed fisheries exports to Indonesia amounted to 6,380 metric tonnes annually, which comprised canned fisheries products and other processed fish products that had been imported mainly from Peninsular Malaysia and Thailand.

Sabah imported a total of 9,432 metric tonnes of fish products worth RM50.7 million from Indonesia during the 1991-1999 period. This represents only 2.7 per cent by volume and 0.5 per cent by value of the State fisheries imports.

Tawau is the main focal point of fisheries trade (barter) with Kalimantan, Indonesia, the prices of fish products were negotiated by fish traders on both sides of the border based on current supply and demand or previous mutual agreement.

Prices are fixed in the more stable Malaysian ringgit with payments made, either in Indonesian Rupiah or US dollars, according to the current exchange rates.

Large portion of these raw materials imported from Indonesia consisted mainly of high value species targeted for both the domestic and international markets, including Japan, Hong Kong, Singapore, Taiwan, China, USA and Europe.

To ensure regular supply of raw materials from Indonesia, a number of the fish processing plants in Tawau have established sister plants or trading houses with Indonesian partners in Eastern Kalimantan. Raw materials are obtained from Kalimantan and Sulawesi.

“The presence of sharks has became one of the main factors of divers’ arrivals in and outside the country to carry out activities in the waters off Semporna.”

“I understand shark fishing is one source of income for fishermen here but if it is not done under control, then the fish will become extinct in our waters, thus, the divers will stop coming to Sabah.

“The diving industry in Sabah is worth RM420 million, and Semporna district contributed about RM276.8 million from the total figure.

“The tourism industry provides jobs and businesses to the local people in the state.

“We need to love and take care of the tourism industry in Sabah, especially in Semporna, which receives a lot of visitors from inside and outside the country, “

Datuk Masidi Manjun
Minister of Tourism Culture and Environment
at the launch of the 24th Regatta Lepa festival
22nd April 2017