State Tourism, Culture and Environment Minister Masidi Manjun has banned the feeding of fishes around the islands at the Tunku Abdul Rahman Marine Park (TARMP), off Kota Kinabalu, with immediate effect.

sabah gaya island Souvenir shops on the islands have also been directed to return all their unsold stocks of fish feed to the mainland and ensure that no new supplies are brought in.

In addition, he wants shops on the islands in the park to reduce the use of plastic bags as currently being done in Kota Kinabalu and cut down on the use of plastic bottles.

Masidi has urged tour agents and guides to advise their guests to adhere to the ban and not bring in their own fish feed from KK. "The fish have enough food. They don't need more," said Masidi in an update for the media following a visit to the islands on Sunday. "Fish feed should not be on sale at the souvenir shops on the islands in the first place."

Unlike the crocodiles, Masidi noted, the fish are in the open sea and don't need feeding.

NONE The scorpion fish, blue-spotted ray, cuttlefish, mantis shrimps and the occasional green or hawksbill turtle are among the wide variety of life on the sandy seabed. The harlequin ghost pipefish and mandarin fish can be found too.

During the cooler months from November to February, plankton blooms attract krill which in turn attract whale sharks, the world's largest fish.

Masidi also worries the fish would come to depend on humans to feed them. "Previously, we had similar concerns over people feeding the Orang Utan in Sandakan. Animals should not depend on human beings for their survival."

Besides, he worries that the biological content of the fish feed is unknown and may contain something that brings a negative impact to the water. "When one person brings in fish food, he or she would normally store it in a plastic bag," said Masidi. "After feeding the fish, they would throw it in the water. This also clutters the fish feeding grounds and may even choke the fish."

Park to enforce ban

The state ministry will leave it to the management of TARMP to enforce the ban on fish feeding and fish feed around the islands, ensure all unsold fish feed stocks are returned to the mainland and no new stock brought in, that visitors don't smuggle in fish feed and that the use of plastic bottles and plastic bags are reduced.

masidi manjun The emphasis will be on educating the public and not on punitive measures, stressed Masidi ( right ). "A penalty is something to be feared. We want to avoid fear like in Singapore where you get fined for every little thing."

The state ministry will not go so easy however on tour agents and tour guides who flout the ban on fish feeding. Errant tour agents and tour guides will be referred to the licensing department of Tourism Malaysia with a view to reviewing their licences, warned Masidi.

"This (review) would be on the grounds that they have failed to advise their guests as expected by my ministry. Furthermore, they can be held responsible for damaging behaviour in an industry which provides them a livelihood."

On plastic bottles and plastic bags, Masidi disclosed that it has been estimated that 70 percent were thrown by locals from moving vehicles. "I am not saying that the illegal immigrants are not responsible as well. But we have this habit of pointing our fingers at them for all our problems," said Masidi. "It's high time that we look at ourselves and not look for scapegoats all the time."

Borneo Divers managing director Clement Lee has welcomed the ban on fish feeding.

He agrees that fish feeding would bring negative ecological effects.

"We are also chipping in by getting divers to clean up the beaches and seabed of the TARMP of plastic bags and other refuse."

NONE According to Lee, 200 divers have volunteered to work with his company on the clean-up exercise. One team has already collected some 290 kg of rubbish around Sulug Island last weekend, while the underwater clean-up around Manukan and Mamutik Islands collected some 460 kg and 61.5 kg of rubbish respectively.

The Tunku Abdul Rahman Marine Park is a cluster of islands comprising Gaya, Sapi, Manukan, Mamutik and Sulug, all ten to 20 minutes by boat from KK. The five islands are characterised by shallow waters, coral gardens and white sandy beaches.

The reefs make it an ideal location for novice divers, besides the experienced ones and underwater photographers.