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Singapore-the fish hanging from the rope shone with a healthy pink luster-this is the hope of catching stars-but after careful inspection, it was found that it was a juvenile fish and was soon released back into the sea. 

This is a common practice for ordinary fishing enthusiasts, but those new hobbies may not know how to do this. 

To raise awareness and ensure that Singapore’s waters retain enough fish for future generations, the conservation non-profit organization Marine Stewards introduced sustainable fishing guidelines in 2020. 

The guidelines include the release of juvenile fish instead of returning invasive fish such as hybrid groupers to the water to protect local marine fauna. 

These guidelines were developed after fishing activity increased during the Covid-19 pandemic, when travel restrictions caused amateur fishermen to join the scene. 

In order to spread these measures to those who are new to fishing, Marine Stewards launched FishX, a series of paid seminars to share tips on how to fish more sustainably. 

These workshops will be hosted by a group of enthusiastic young volunteers who will not only teach the participants fishing skills, but also teach sustainable fishing etiquette, such as the release of caught juvenile fish. 

They are easy to spot in popular fishing spots in Singapore. The bright blue camouflage print shirt is printed with the words "Marine Lovers Are Marine Protectors". 

The light blue camouflage print shirt is printed with the words "Marine Lovers are Marine Protectors", and the young volunteers of the FishX workshop are easy to spot. ST photo: KEVIN LIM

One of the problems faced by beginners is the inability to identify rare fish. In July 2020, this resulted in the capture and death of a fragile stingray, a vulnerable type of stingray, near the Bedok Pier. 

Mr. Ryan Chin, a 17-year-old student of Anglo-Chinese School (Independent) and the head of the Ocean Butler FishX project, said: “Singapore has more than 500 species of marine fish, but most of us don’t know that they exist. The awareness of sensitive species may pose a threat to them and fish."

FishX participants will learn how to identify fish by referring to the guidelines of the National Parks Commission's Biodiversity and Environmental Database, which maps the biodiversity of Singapore as a whole. 

The selected rare specimens captured will be donated to the Lee Kong Chian Natural History Museum for marine biology research.

Participants will also receive education on how to use fishing gear that meets better sustainable fishing standards. This will be showcased by the owner of the fishing shop SGFishingRigz, a company founded by four young people specializing in sustainable fishing equipment.

For example, compared to the commonly used J-hooks, which sometimes pierce the internal organs of fish and injure them fatally, round hooks allow a higher survival rate for the released fish. 

The wrasse caught by the J-hook was lucky and relatively safe. ST photo: KEVIN LIM

Mr. Benjamin Brighton, a 16-year-old student from United World College of Southeast Asia and one of the co-founders of SGFishingRigz, said: “When my team restarted fishing after two months of power outage and fishing was not allowed, near Bedok Pier There were fish everywhere in the waters of the country. On the first day we returned, we caught about 50 fish." 

He put together videos of different fish bait, which lasted nearly an hour.

"This made us realize that as long as Singapore is not overfished, it is easy to maintain a healthy and diverse fish population," said the student, who co-founded the fishing shop with his fishing partners who met at the pier. 

SGFishingRigz will provide the equipment used during the seminar. The owner will also serve as a volunteer guide to assist the FishX project. 

Mr. Alex Teo, a 53-year-old construction supervisor who has been engaged in the fishing industry for more than 20 years, said: “In the past, people overfished and discarded fish for many bad practices, so it’s really warm to my heart that these young people are working hard to protect our oceans. animal."

He added: "After all, these little lives are also lives." 

The seminar will start on December 1st at Bedok Pier. To participate, readers can register for a position on the Marine Stewards website. The fee for each participant is US$68.

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MCI (P) 031/10/2021, MCI (P) 032/10/2021. Published by SPH Media Limited, Co. Regn. The number is 202120748H. Copyright © 2021 SPH Media Limited. all rights reserved.

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