Biomarine Sdn Bhd set to export hybrid grouper to HK; eyes China and Taiwan markets

Bandar Seri Begawan - The Minister of Industry and Primary Resources, Pehin Orang Kaya Seri Utama Dato Seri Setia Awg Hj Yahya bin Begawan Mudim Dato Paduka Hj Bakar officially launched the 'hybrid grouper' harvest for export to Hong Kong yesterday, at Tanjung Pelumpong.

Forty-five metric tonnes of hybrid grouper, equivalent to 7,500 fish each weighing an average of six kilogrammes, were harvested with a total value of B$1.2 million. This marks the first live export by means of the floating cage culture operation by Biomarine Sdn Bhd.

The company also supplies to the domestic market fresh fish in the form of 'pompano' and local groupers produced at the farm. The company will continue its operation with deep-sea cages at Pelong Rocks in the first week of November by stocking 90,000 pompano.

According to the Department of Fisheries, the promising achievement marks a milestone for the cage industry in the country. The department has provided suitable sites for this type of industry, and while a number of entrepreneurs have ventured into this, none have achieved results as promising as this.

The identified sites such as Pelong Rocks . and Pelompong areas have high potential if the existing operations or interested parties pursue this venture with full commitment, the department stated.

The project started with a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signing ceremony between the Department of Fisheries and the Guangdong Provincial Ocean and Fishery Administration, People's Republic of China, on September 10, 2008 in Brunei Darussalam.

Following the signing, local company Biomarine Sdn Bhd was established and soon started culturing tiger grouper with eight units of round cages at the Pelong Rocks area in November 2009.

The company then upgraded its operations in 2010 and now has 84 floating square cages in the Tanjung Pelumpong area, and 18 round cages at the Pelong Rocks area.

The harvesting of hybrid grouper by the minister yesterday marked the official launching of the milestone event for Biomarine Sdn Bhd's first export of live grouper to Hong Kong.

The company is also eyeing the China and Taiwan markets in the future.

Also joining the entourage were the Permanent Secretary and Deputy Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Industry and Primary Resources; senior officials from the ministry and the Department of Fisheries; the Ambassador of China and officials

from Guangdong Provincial Ocean and Fishery Administration, People's Republic of China; and officials from government agencies.

The day also saw the minister and other guests touring the facilities of the Cheung Kam Wah, the vessel tasked with the transporting of fish to Hong Kong.

Earlier, Biomarine Sdn Bhd Manager Pengiran Anak Haji Ibrahim bin Pengiran Muda Hashim in his opening remarks noted that the company has 80 square cages and 18 round cages with about 15,000 groupers and 90,000 'golden pompano.'

With the assistance of the Fisheries Department, the company has for the first time been able to produce live `hybrid grouper' for export, he added.

--Courtesy of Borneo Bulletin