PASIR PUTEH, July 9 — The Department of Fisheries (DoF) will submerge 18 units of artificial reefs worth RM660,000 in the waters of Kelantan today and tomorrow, for conservation purposes, as it would help fishermen in the state to increase their fish landings.

DoF director-general Datuk Adnan Hussain said work on submerging the artificial reefs was carried out at the waters of Tok Bali, Pasir Puteh with 11 artificial reefs dropped into the sea and seven more are to be dropped in the waters of Kuala Besar, Kota Bharu, tomorrow.

"The initiative to submerge artificial reefs is expected to benefit 4,191 fishermen in the state of Kelantan and the move will ensure food security in the state and the country,” he said after witnessing the programme to submerge the artificial reefs in the waters of Tok Bali, in the presence of deputy Menteri Besar of Kelantan, Datuk Mohd Amar Nik Abdullah, here today.

Adnan said the DoF would submerge 41 artificial reefs at a cost of RM1.31 million in Terengganu, Kelantan, Perak, Kedah and Selangor.

He added that RM3.6 million had been spent in Kelantan to build, submerge and monitor 230 artificial reefs since 2007 and these 230 artificial reefs were dropped in seven locations, namely Kuala Tumpat in Tumpat, Kuala Besar and Sabak di Kota Bharu, Kemasin and Pantai Irama in Bachok, Semerak and Tok Bali in Pasir Puteh.

Adnan said last year, 55,000 metric tonnes of fish was landed in Kelantan, valued at a wholesale price of RM548 million.

"Until May this year, 23,000 tonnes of fish worth RM244 million has been landed. From the total, Pasir Puteh contributes about 55 per cent of the fish landings in Kelantan, worth RM101 million,” he said. — Bernama