Kota Kinabalu: New approaches and ideas are now in great demand to protect and preserve the vast marine wealth of the nation, particularly Sabah.

Universiti Malaysia Sabah (UMS) Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Datuk Dr Mohd Noh Dalimin, said the ocean is "our last frontier on earth for exploration and exploitation."

Therefore, he said, continued abuse of the sea would deprive future generations of the rich marine heritage that the nation is blessed with.

"(In this respect) we must protect the marine ecosystem, rebuild the depleted stocks through habitat improvement and sea ranching and increase seafood supply through aquaculture," he said when launching the Japan International Co-operation Agency (Jica) technology transfer programme of fish seed production techniques.

In a speech read by Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research and Innovation), Prof. Datuk Dr Kamaruzaman Ampon, at the Borneo Marine Research Institute (BMRI), UMS, Monday, he said when aquatic food supplies increase, pressure on natural populations would eventually decline.

He said aquaculture of many species consumes more fish than what it produces.

The situation, he said, should change since prey fish that farmers feed to their captive stocks come from the wild.

Subsequently, he said over-exploitation of prey fish populations has serious implications to marine biodiversity in that in the long run it may result in further decline in the landings.

In this context, he said aquaculture plays a pivotal role by increasing fish supply from hatchery and grow-out systems that eventually lessens pressure on the wild stocks.

Dr Mohd Noh said without seed supply, the growth of the aquaculture industry is inconceivable.

"All fish and shellfish farms cannot afford to run their own hatcheries since they depend on seed supply, otherwise their farming operations will stop or close down if seeds are not available," he said.

He said fish or shrimp seed must be available from seed supply centres on a sustainable basis.

Hence, he said the challenge for the aquaculture industry is to ensure sustainable seed supply.

"I would like to therefore see development of seed production centres in Sabah exclusively charged with the responsibility of healthy seed supply to (fishery) farmers," he said.

Dr Mohd Noh said when this happens, he has no doubt that major problem in the aquaculture industry will be solved.

The Borneo Marine Research Institute and State Government agencies, in this respect, can develop mechanism and detailed plans to seek support from the Government or the consortium of stakeholders in the private sector.

He also urged those in the industry to increase their R&D activity and to seek partners in the scientific community for a fast track approach to find solutions to their problems that traditional approaches have failed to resolve.

Therefore, he said new knowledge should be used to supplement traditional knowledge base for a rapid growth of a sustainable aquaculture industry.

At the same time, Dr Mohd Noh said the aquatic farming community should seriously consider seed production centres for only a limited number of high value and most popular species such as groupers, sea bass, snapper and tiger shrimp.

"This will prevent seed glut in the market and will bring down the cost of species in demand to affordable levels," he said.

He said such centres should be equipped with facilities and expertise in the operation of culture systems, broodstock management, water quality management, nutrition, health and biosecurity.

According to him, it has to be very integrated without which the production centres will not be able to deliver quality and quantity seed required for aquaculture development.

He said with interest growing in seafood for health reasons, including scares from bird flu and mad cow disease, interest in aquaculture is expected to increase.

As a matter of fact, he said people are now seeking solutions for heart disease from fish.