Thefishing industry inBrunei is one of the largest contributors of the country's revenue. Fishing is a major source ofprotein in thediets of theBrunei people. The coastal location on the island ofBorneo makes it an ideal location forcommercial andsubsistence fishing.
Most of the fishing grounds inBrunei are in proximity to themangrove swamps of Brunei estuaries where there are abundant nutrients for fish to reproduce.[1] Some rare marine species have been captured locally, like the recent blackish greentoman caught by local fish enthusiasts by using modern fishing technology.[2]
Many Bruneians live inKampong Ayer or Water Village, an area of Brunei's capital city,Bandar Seri Begawan, where houses built on stilts above theBrunei River grant easy access to the open water.
Large scale commercial fishing usually involves exporting fresh fish caught to neighbouring countries likeChina andTaiwan like the recent breeding of the highly demanded fish species like themouse grouper andcoral trout in which the market price is B$160 per kilogram if sold toChina andTaiwan.[3] Small scale commercial fishing usually involves the selling of fish caught in thewet market.
The net (rantau) hangs frombuoys (patau) which float on the surface of the water. This method of fishing is used to catch fish liketamban (sardines) which swim in shoals near the surface.Drift net fishing usually takes place at night and in the early morning, and is an offshore fishing method.[4]
In deep seatrawling, the net is dragged along the sea bed using the fishing boats calledtrawlers. This technique is used both for inshore and offshore commercial fisheries.
Abubu is a large box- or conical-shapedtrap used to catch large fish likered snapper andgrouper.[4] The traps are set up in the area ofcoral reefs, and weighted down with heavy stones so that the trap can sink to the sea bed.
Thebintur is alift net ofbamboo andnetting used to catchcrabs. It is usually used inbrackish water andfreshwater inshore fishing.[4]
Lintaus andkelongs arefish corrals designed to direct fish into a fenced-in area in the sea. A lintau is used alongmudflats near mangroves, while the kelong is set up in the deeper waters of the estuaries.[4]
The annual catch in Brunei fisheries fluctuates. This has caused Brunei to import fish from otherSouth China Sea fisheries such as neighboringMalaysia,Sabah andSarawak.
Coral reefs off Brunei, as elsewhere, are the main breeding grounds for fish and are threatened due tooverfishing.
