Sunday 20 December 2009

Tanjung Pelumpong, Brunei Muara

This post is way overdue! November and December have been extremely hectic times. I've got many things done, which felt great. Yet, the list of things undone is still pretty long! And, the sacrifices I made my friends go through puts me in eternal guilt. Text messages of gatherings are still being circulated despite my failure to attend to any of them. Sigh.

The new year has many things in store and definitely many hurdles are to be crossed. I am worried and excited at the same time.

Anyway, back to the post on Tanjung Pelumpong, the last stop after snorkeling somewhere in the sea beyond Pulau Pilong (Pilong Rocks). The guys wanted to buy fish since they couldn't catch any lobsters.

Tanjung (Tanjong) Pelumpong is a spit at the Brunei Bay. It is now an island rather than a spit because of the Muara cut, which is 50m wide, that allows ships to enter to Muara Port. The area is a popular fishing spot. People sat lining the edge of the land with their fishing lines dipped in the sea. Tanjung Pelumpong is also one of the main areas in Brunei for aquaculture with several thriving fish farms.



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As always, I'm excited. I've never been here and it was my first time. I love the serenity that is reeking from these simple floating houses. Fishing nets hung on wooden structures above grids of ponds. The grids are made by wooden planks floated on empty plastic barrels. The nets would be lowered deep into the water for some time. When they are raised, fishes are caught in the nets, which are kept a little above the water to keep the fishes alive and from escaping. These fishes are then sorted into other fully netted ponds according to their type.

By now, I was completely sunburnt. I didn't realise the stinging sensation on my thighs and my back until later the night when I was crawling in to bed. It had been an awesome Sunday, that day. The beautiful sea never tires me.

I laid on the planks and watched the late afternoon sun make the sea sparkle gold. Despite the heat in my body from the sunburn, the passing breeze still cooled me. The air was a mild mixture of salty and fishy. The gentle sloshing of the waves against the floating barrels made everything felt like Tori Amos singing and playing with her piano.

A floating fishing house


Fishing nets raised


Apparently these are puffer fishes. We were warned not to touch them because of their poisonous skin.


Fishermen catching the fishes in the ponds at the requests of customers


A pond full of fishes, both big and small.


Super big fish


Newspaper clipping of a granny who caught a 15kg seabass with bare hands. According to the attendant, anyone can go into the pond to catch the fishes with bare hands. They can bring home the fish they caught, given 5 minutes, or something.


Chilling under the hut with the lovely late afternoon sun


Why the eagle was there, I am not sure.


Hmm... souveniers for sale?


That's me having a time of my life.

2 comments:

RTB News said...

Fishery Department continues to provide facilities in developing Brunei’s Aquaculture industry

16th December 2008
http://www.rtb.gov.bn/rtbnews/2008/December/161208/story_2.html

12 prawn breeding farms are currently being operated in several areas around Brunei Muara and Tutong Districts. Last year the farms produced 573 metric tonnes of prawn.

According to the Assistant Senior Fishery Officer, Awang Muhimin bin Damit, these prawn farms are located in Pangkalan Sibabau Phase one and two in the Brunei Muara District and Kampung Keramut in Telisai, Kampung Sungai Paku and Kampung Tunggulian in the Tutong District. Meanwhile, 43 marine entrepreneurs are currently operating in several areas in the Brunei waters such as Tanjung Pelumpong, Sungai Bunga, Pulau Kaingaran and Buang Tawar. 573 metric tonnes of prawn were produced by these farms last year and around 50 to 70 metric tonnes of fish were produced by the marine entrepreneurs during the same period.

The Fishery Department will continue to provide various facilities in developing the country’s Aquaculture industry. This includes training and consultancy on ways to increase their produce using the latest technology. The department also organised Fishery Carnivals which open opportunities to local fishing entrepreneurs to form partnership not only with local entrepreneurs but entrepreneurs from abroad for the purpose of exporting frozen fish.

RTB News said...

Fishing industry has potential to be developed toward
diversifying country's economy

7 April 2006

The fishing industry has the potential to contribute towards Brunei Darussalam’s economic diversification to decrease continued dependence on oil and gas. Aquaculture is one of the fast-developing activities of the industry and continues to develop rapidly at par with neighbouring nations. Rearing of fish in cages and prawns in ponds are the country’s main aquaculture industry that was first practiced locally in 1997. Some 30 entrepreneurs are involved in the industry managing some 1,225 cages.

Among such fish-rearing locations are the Waters of Pulau Kaingaran, Tanjong Pelumpong, Sungai Bunga and Buang Tawar. Fish such as Grouper and Seabass reared in Brunei waters have now gain access to international market. One of the Brunei fish-rearing companies can now produce as much as 2,200 Grouper weighing 1.98 tonnes and 110 Seabass weighing 1.5 tonnes for export to Hong Kong. These fish exports fetch 128,700 dollars and 39,900 dollars respectively. The shipment of the caged fish is handled by a trading company from Hong Kong. The Ministry of Industry and Primary Resources has continued to offer such fish-rearing activities to interested parties as part of efforts to expand the industry.