Gerik: The Perak Fisheries Department is intensifying its efforts to conserve the Loma fish species, which is at risk of extinction, through an enhanced breeding and conservation program at the Banding Inland Fisheries Complex.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, Perak Fisheries director Mohd Ghazali A. Manap announced the phased breeding project is backed by a special allocation from the state government, disbursed last year. The department utilized these funds to acquire Loma broodstock from major rivers for breeding purposes. While the breeding and egg-hatching phases have been successful, challenges remain in the grow-out stage to ensure the fish reach a suitable size before being released into public waters.

Mohd Ghazali shared these insights with reporters during the Randuk For Lampam Volume 5 program, officiated by State Communications, Multimedia, and NGO Committee chairman Mohd Azlan Helmi. He mentioned that if the grow-out phase meets its targets, Loma fingerlings are expected to be released into Temenggor Lake next year. The lake's selection as the release site is due to its significance within the Perak River basin, offering potential support for the species' survival and reproduction.

Conservation efforts are deemed urgent due to overfishing pressures, particularly in the Sungai Rui area in Gerik, a primary habitat for the species. The local community's tradition of collecting and consuming Loma fish eggs, including their use in food products like fermented fish, disrupts the population as it prevents new fish from hatching.

Additionally, Mohd Ghazali noted that while the threat from invasive alien fish species in Perak is currently under control, continuous monitoring is necessary to prevent their spread and potential disruption to the balance of local aquatic ecosystems. These invasive species lack natural predators, enabling them to reproduce quickly and compete for food and habitat.