Dr Rundi (seventh left) and his delegation are seen at FRA.

BINTULU (Oct 30): Sarawak is enhancing its technical collaboration with Japan in fisheries research and sustainable aquaculture development through the Japan Fisheries Research and Education Agency (FRA), a national body under the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries.

Minister of Food Industry, Commodity and Regional Development Dato Sri Dr Stephen Rundi Utom, who led a working visit to FRA in Tokyo, said Japan demonstrates exemplary practices in developing an integrated research system that brings together experts from various disciplines under one national agency.

“FRA currently employs more than 500 full-time researchers across Japan, while Sarawak is still in its early stages, with only five active researchers in the fisheries sector.

“We want to understand how Japan successfully built its research capacity and maintained strong linkages between academia, industry, and government policy.

“This experience is highly relevant for Sarawak as we work to strengthen our research and training ecosystem in aquaculture and marine resources,” he said.

During the visit, the delegation had an opportunity to study Japan’s research, education, and innovation structure in the fisheries sector through official briefings and technical brochures presented by FRA.

The agency plays a crucial role in coordinating research, development, and education in Japan’s fisheries and aquaculture sectors to ensure a stable seafood supply, promote sustainable industry growth, and enhance the capacity of skilled professionals in marine science and fisheries engineering.

Operating under Japan’s Fifth Medium-Term Plan (2021–2025), FRA focuses on fisheries and aquaculture technology development, human resource advancement in fisheries science, and the revitalisation of Japan’s fisheries industry through data-driven and technology-based innovation.

During the visit, the delegation was briefed on FRA’s wide range of research initiatives, including fish stock assessments in Japanese and international waters, breeding technology for high-value species such as tuna and Japanese eels, studies on sustainable fish feed, as well as seafood safety and disease control measures.

FRA also introduced its Science-Based Fisheries Management model, which emphasises the use of satellite data, ocean dynamic models, and collaboration between researchers and fishing communities to predict ecosystem changes and fish catch patterns.

Dr Rundi said Sarawak is also keen to learn from Japan’s approach to managing invasive fish species that threaten local biodiversity, including the growing issue of Amazon fish species entering Sarawak’s rivers and impacting native populations.

He added that the dialogue with FRA not only opens doors for joint research collaborations but also for short-term training opportunities under the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) for Sarawak’s officers and researchers.

The delegation also received a briefing on the role of the National Fisheries University, which operates under FRA and provides technical and academic training to students and professionals in marine science, seafood processing, and aquaculture engineering.