BELAWAI – The Senior Director of the Sarawak Marine Fisheries Department (JPLS), Abdul Rahman bin Abdul Wahab, carried out a series of working visits in Belawai on 20 September 2026 to review fisheries projects and related infrastructure.
The visits were held in conjunction with the GP Fishing Safari Series 2/2026, which took place at Iftitah Restaurant and Resort in Belawai. The programme provided an opportunity for the department to assess ongoing work and inspect facilities linked to fisheries activities in the area.
One of the locations visited was the Belawai Shrimp Seed Production Centre (PPBUB), where Abdul Rahman reviewed the centre’s operational progress. He also inspected construction work on a sedimentation pond currently being developed at the facility.
The sedimentation pond forms part of the infrastructure being developed at the shrimp seed production centre. During the visit, the department assessed the progress of the work as part of its wider monitoring of fisheries-related facilities in Belawai.
The working visit also included an inspection of the navigation light at Kuala Belawai. The facility is currently affected by erosion at the site, prompting attention to measures needed to protect the structure and maintain its function.
JPLS plans to undertake site reinforcement works for the Kuala Belawai navigation light in 2027. The proposed works are intended to address the erosion issue and help ensure that the navigation facility can continue operating in support of navigational safety.
Navigation infrastructure is particularly relevant to fishing and other activities carried out in coastal and riverine areas, where functioning aids can support vessels operating around navigational routes. The planned reinforcement therefore forms part of the department’s infrastructure-related attention in the Belawai area.
During the programme, Abdul Rahman also met participants involved in the myAP project. The participants are engaged in processing fishery-based pau, or steamed buns, using a range of fillings.
The products include sardine, curry, chocolate and bean paste, alongside other varieties. The activity represents an effort to process fishery-related products into value-added food items rather than limiting their use to conventional fresh or minimally processed forms.
Value-added processing can provide fishing communities with additional ways to utilise fisheries products and develop marketable food items. In this case, the myAP participants are producing a variety of pau products as part of their project activities.
The series of visits covered several aspects of the local fisheries sector, ranging from shrimp seed production and infrastructure maintenance to navigation facilities and food processing. The inspections also allowed JPLS to review developments at individual project sites while engaging with people involved in local fisheries-related activities.
The department said the visits reflected its continuing efforts to monitor fisheries infrastructure development, strengthen supporting facilities and support value-added activities. These areas are linked to the wider objective of supporting the local fishing community and its economic activities.
The planned reinforcement of the navigation light site in 2027 will be a future infrastructure measure, while the shrimp seed production centre and myAP project represent ongoing activities being monitored by the department.
