Fish and Fishing in Tanjung Leman

Marine Catfishes

2014-05-04T20:50:00.000+08:00

Marine catfishes or fork-tailed catfishes are the common names used for the members of Ariidae family. They occur in saltwater, brackish, and fresh waters of tropical and subtropical oceans. They are mainly saltwater fishes that sometimes enter freshwater. Some species are only found in freshwater. They have forked caudal fin, 3 pairs of barbels (rarely 2 pairs), and bony plates on head and near dorsal fin. They have 3 long, hard, usually serrated spines on their dorsal and pectoral fins. These spines are venomous.

Marine catfishes are bottom-living fishes found in mangrove areas, large river estuaries, and turbid waters, as well as in fully marine waters and clear fresh waters. Some of them are omnivorous and some feed on small fishes, molluscs and crustaceans.

There are 30 genera and more than 150 species of Ariidae worldwide. Malaysia has 11 genera and about 25 species, with 3 species that enter freshwater.

Below are some of the marine catfishes found in Malaysia.

Family Name: Ariidae
English Name: Marine Catfish
Mandarin Name: 成魚 (Chéng yú), 海鯰 (Hǎi nián)
Local Malay Name: Ikan Duri, Pedukang
Local Hokkien: Sai Seng, Ah Seng

Karnival Tanjung Leman 2012

2012-05-13T01:30:00.000+08:00

The event was held on 11th May to 13th May 2012. It's one of the yearly huge event in Tanjung Leman where the Sultan of the state and high ministers visited.
I was there on 13th May so I joined their beach fishing competition which started at 9 am. I arrived at about 9:30 am, paid the 60 Ringgit fee and get a place in front of the Felda Residence. This is where stingray are usually landed. Actually I was reluctant to join because I do not have a beach rod but I figured that I need to join in the fun.
The whole beach from Tunjuk Laut chalet to pass Felda Residence was full of surf fishing rod. Many times fishing lines were entangled and it was low tide almost all the way until 1:30 pm when the finishing horn finally blowed. Not many fishes were landed and I was told that the winner of the competition won only with a 900 grams sting ray.
Although it was quite fun to experience my first fishing competition, this is also the first time I came back from Tanjung Leman with an empty icebox.

Singing competition

Temporary stores set up to make some money

Rods on my right

More rods on my left

Salleh in action

Bikes of the Kembara Mahkota arriving

Musim Ketarap

2012-04-12T23:51:00.000+08:00

After a long break since the NE Monsoon started in October last year, finally Salleh invited me over to Tanjung Leman to fish for Blackspot Tuskfish. This fish is one of the most expensive fish from this area although in term of personal preference, I still prefer John’s Snapper. The fish can be easily identified by the black spot at the back of it's body. This black spot only become distinct after the fish is landed for a certain time.
We started fishing at about 8 am. We're using life prawns, dead prawns and squid as bait but all 7 Tuskfish were caught using life prawn. Initial Tuskfish bite felt like a small fish but when the fish is hooked, a 1kg tuskfish felt like a 3-5kg fish. Almost all of them were caught when the sunlight was bright.

Nasir got the fist one

Salleh got his Ketarap

I'm under pressure now

Finally

Southern Winds and Inter-monsoon

2012-03-19T00:04:00.000+08:00

Southwest Monsoon season in Peninsular Malaysia is characterized by winds that blow from the southwest starting from late May to September. It is associated with the rise of temperature in the Asian continent and the temperature drop in the southern hemisphere. In the southern hemisphere the wind blows from Southeast direction and changes direction to southwest as it passes the equator. This effect is called the Coriolis Effect which is caused by the rotation of the earth.

During the southwest monsoon period, rainfall in the Peninsular Malaysia will reduce as rainfall in the western Sumatra peaks when the monsoon wind passes through the Barisan Mountains, a mountain range on the western side of Sumatra.

Calm sea during the SW monsoon in the east coast of Peninsular Malaysia

Sumatra Squalls or Ribut Sumatra are thunderstorms which usually occur from April to May and from September to October each year during the inter-monsoon periods. These squalls develop at night over Sumatra or the Straits of Malacca and move east toward Peninsular Malaysia usually during dawn and early morning. Squall are characterized by sudden onset of strong gusty winds of up to 100 km/hour and heavy rain to the southwestern part of Peninsular Malaysia starting from the state of Selangor to Johor.

Sea breezes are common during the inter-monsoon and southwest monsoon season. The winds are formed as a result of temperature differences between land and sea. In the day, land gets heated rapidly by the sun while sea surface temperature increases less. When hot air rises over the land, cool air just above the sea moves inland to fill the void and circulate back to sea higher above. Sea breezes and opposing light constant wind can sometimes initiate thunderstorm that usually align with the coastline.

Waterspout is rare in Peninsular Malaysia but if it happens usually will be in the inter-monsoon periods. Waterspout occur during intense weather condition associated with thunderstorm and often being mistaken as a tornado due to the similar appearance. Unlike tornado that can occur over both land and sea, waterspout only forms over the sea. It usually dissipate on reaching the coast.

Waterspout in Tanjung Leman

From April onward, the east coast of Peninsular Malaysia sea will start to calm down. Fish species like grouper, snapper, wrasse and sweetlips will move closser to the shore. Good time for fishing will be back for anglers until October.

Grouper is abundant in Tanjung leman during the SW monsoon

Northeast Monsoon

2011-12-10T08:26:00.001+08:00

The two main monsoon seasons in Malaysia are the Northeast Monsoon and the Southwest Monsoon Season. In between the two monsoon there are two short inter-monsoon periods which are the Pre South-West Monsoon and Pre North-East Monsoon. The monsoon that affects the living of the Peninsular Malaysia east coast, particularly those in the fishing industry is mainly the Northeast Monsoon which will bring strong wind and rainfall from November to January.

Northeast Monsoon season is characterized by constant winds that blow from the northeast. It is associated with the development of the Siberian High which is a massive collection of cold dry air on the Eurasian terrain and the movement of the heating maxima from the Northern Hemisphere to the Southern Hemisphere. Northeasterly winds flow down Southeast Asia with wind speeds reaching as high as 30 to 40 km/hr.

Rough sea in NE monsoon season even after sheltered by the Seribuat Island

During the season, the states in the east coast of Peninsular Malaysia, coastal areas of Sarawak and Sabah will experience episodes of heavy rain continued for a total of two to three days due to monsoon surges. In the case of extreme weather,the whole episode of heavy rain can last for three to eight days, and may cause flood. However, there are usually several days of good weather that is either with no rain or little rain that occur between the heavy rainfall episodes.

The northeast monsoon causes most of the Peninsular east coast fishermen not able to continue fishing. Many fishermen will start to face with monetary issues and turn to the middleman for loan. The fisherman in Tanjung Leman is a little more lucky because their fishing area is located behind the Seribuat islands. There are some days that strong wind and thunderstorm will disrupt their fishing routine but they will still be able to fish during the season.

Highly sought after Yellow Croaker or Gelama Mas in Malay

The monsoon season also changes the species of fish caught by the fishermen in the east coast. During the beginning of the season, fish species from the mackerel and threadfin family will be abundant. The highly sought after Yellow Croaker that is gold in color is one of the species that can only be found during Northeast Monsoon. Spiny lobster will also move in nearer to shore and become abundant. Grouper on another hand will become scarce as they move further out into the sea.

Johor Regatta 2011

2011-11-04T21:43:00.000+08:00

Here are some of the beach scene taken last weekend for KFC Felda Johor Open 2011. The match are held on 28-30th October at Tanjung Leman. We're not allowed to carry out our usual boating activities during the occasion.

Scene with the Pulau Tinggi and Pulau Sibu in the background.

Contestants coming back.

I like this picture best.

Puffer and non-edible fishes

2011-10-04T22:37:00.001+08:00

The catch was terrible last Saturday and I get all sorts of non edible fish. Yeah! At last one page for the puffer fish!

This one is a beauty, it is called Black-blotched porcupinefish or Diodon liturosus. This is quite common here I think. I've got this twice so far.

This one is called Half-smooth golden pufferfish or Lagocephalus Spadicus.

Another puffer fish from the Lagocephalus genus, Lagocephalus Guentheri or Diamondback Puffer.

This is Lagocephalus Suezensis.

A dried Lagocephalus Lunaris.

Fresh Lagocephalus Lunaris

Arothron stellatus or Starry pufferfish.

Arothron reticularis or Reticulated Pufferfish

This one below is a juvenile Immaculate pufferfish or Arothron Immaculatus.

This species is called Map puffer or Arothron mappa

This species is called Green pufferfish or Tetraodon fluviatilis

Spotted green pufferfish or Tetraodon nigroviridis.

This one is the Shortnose boxfish or Rhynchostracion nasus.

Another boxfish species, Lactoria cornuta (Linnaeus, 1758), Longhorn cowfish

This one is not a puffer fish species. It's a dangerous scorpion fish that can inflict a painful injury with it's venomous dorsal sting. It's a Raggy Stonefish or Scorpaenopsis venosa (Cuvier, 1829)

Here is another venomous scorpion fish. It's a Tassled scorpionfish or Scorpaenopsis oxycephala (Bleeker, 1849).

This one below is either a Butterflyfish or Angelfish species, suitable for aquarium. It's correct name is still unknown to me. Let me know if you have any idea what it's called.

This one is common aquarium fish, called Copperband butterflyfish or Chelmon rostratus (Linnaeus, 1758).

About Grouper

2011-09-27T22:39:00.007+08:00

Groupers are from the Serranidae family. They are the real sea basses. Members of Serranidae family typically have opercles (gill covers) with three spines; one main spine with a lesser spine above and below. There are 64 genera and approximately 475 species worldwide. Malaysia is represented by 15 genera and approximately 68 species. Groupers can attain up to 3 m maximum length and weights of up to 400 kg.

The name "grouper" comes from the Portuguese name "garoupa" for the fish. In Malaysia and Indonesia, it is called "kerapu" which is also believed to come from the word "garoupa". Contrary to their name which suggests the fish stays in group, they are actually the solitary type. Unlike snappers which move in groups, they are intolerant of the same species or other similar fishes. Most species gather together in pairs or aggregations only for spawning. Many species are hermaphrodites, meaning that they can change their sex. They start out as females and change to male at a later stage.

Groupers are mostly demersal (benthic or bottom-oriented) fishes of tropical and subtropical areas, ranging from shallow coastal waters to moderate depths; the great majority of species occur in less than 200 m.They are usually found over coral reefs, and rocky bottoms along the coasts.

Typical groupers have a stout body and a large mouth. They do not have many teeth on the edges of their jaws, but they have heavy crushing tooth palates inside they pharynx. Their mouth and gills form a powerful sucking system that can suck their prey in from a distance. They habitually eat fish, squid, and crustacean. They swallow prey rather than biting pieces of it and that makes them easy to get hook by bait. Normally a squid bait can be used over and over again.

Their coloration and ability to change hues and shades to blend in with their surroundings allow them to camouflage and lie in wait for prey rather than chasing in open water. They will ambush, dash and strike the prey in short distance. Right after they suck the bait, they will normally go into the rocks or structure that is surrounding them. When threatened, they use their mouth to expand their gill covers digging them into rock cave sides to form their shelters. Their gill muscles are so powerful that it is very difficult to pull them out of a cave.

There are 64 genera and approximately 475 species worldwide. Malaysia is represented by 15 genera and approximately 68 species.

Groupers are abundant in Tanjung Leman. They can be easily caught by bottom line fishing and bubu (local fish trap). Species of grouper found in Tanjung Leman are as follows:

Grouper Species:

Scientific Name: Cephalopholis boenak (Bloch, 1790)
English Name: Chocolate Hind, Brown-barred Grouper
Mandarin Name: 石斑魚 (Shí bān yú), 印度石斑 (Yìndù shí bān)
Local Malay Name: Kerapu Tenggarong, Kerapu Belang Perang
Main Diagnostic Features: Body brown, with 7 or 8 more or less distinct dark bars. Fins dark brown, with a pale blue line at corners of caudal fin.
Size: Maximum total length 30 cm.

Scientific Name: Cephalopholis formosa (Shaw, 1812)
English Name: Bluelined Grouper, Bluelined Hind, Bluelined Rockcod
Mandarin Name: 石斑魚 (Shí bān yú), 蓝线石斑 (Lán xiàn shí bān)
Local Malay Name: Ikan Kerapu Garis Biru
Local Hokkien: Thee Swa Gau
Local Teochew: Gao Hu
Local Cantonese: Seck Pan
Main Diagnostic Features: Colour generally brown or yellowish brown, with dark blue lines on head, body, and fins. Black spot between upper 2 opercular spines.
Size: Maximum total length 34 cm.

Scientific Name: Cephalopholis cyanostigma (Valenciennes, 1828)
English Name: Bluespotted Hind
Mandarin Name: 石斑魚 (Shí bān yú)
Local Malay Name: Kerapu Bintik Biru, Kerapu Karang
Main Diagnostic Features: Blue ocelli on head, body, and basally on median fins.
Size: Maximum total length at 40 cm.

Scientific Name: Diploprion bifasciatum Cuvier, 1828

English Name: Barred SoapfishFrench Name: Savon à deux bandes
Mandarin Name: 肥皂鱼 (Féizào yú)
Local Malay Name: Kerapu Sebekah, Sebekah Laut
Main Diagnostic Features: Body compressed with yellow colour posterior.
Size: Maximum total length 25 cm.

Scientific Name: Epinephelus areolatus (Forsskål, 1775)

English Name: Areolate Grouper
Mandarin Name: 石斑魚 (Shí bān yú), 西星斑 (Xi xīng bān)
Local Malay Name: Kerapu Ekor Putih, Kerapu Bintik Bulat
Local Hokkien: Koay Gau
Local Teochew: Gao Hu
Local Cantonese: Seck PanMain Diagnostic Features: Head, body, and fins covered with numerous close-set brown, brownish yellow or greenish yellow spots. Posterior edge of caudal fin with a distinct white margin.
Size: Maximum total length about 40 cm.

Scientific Name: Epinephelus bleekeri (Vaillant, 1878)
English Name: Duskytail Grouper
French Name: Mérou demideui
Mandarin Name: 石斑魚 (Shí bān yú), 红点油班 (Hóng diǎn yóu bān)
Local Malay Name: Ikan Kerapu Ekor Gelap
Local Hokkien: Koay Gau
Local Teochew: Gao Hu
Local Cantonese: Seck Pan
Main Diagnostic Features: Dorsal fin and upper third of caudal fin with spots like those on body. Lower two-thirds of caudal fin dusky.
Size: Maximum total length about 76 cm.

Scientific Name: Epinephelus coioides (Hamilton, 1822)
English Name: Orange-spotted Grouper, Goldspotted Rockcod, Brownspotted Grouper, Estuary Cod
French Name: Mérou taches oranges
Mandarin Name: 石斑魚 (Shí bān yú), 红点石斑 (Hóng diǎn shí bān)
Local Malay Name: Ikan Kerapu bintik jingga, Kerapu Pinang, Kerapu Balong, Kerapu Rintek, Kerapu Pakpanang
Local Hokkien: Chia Gau
Main Diagnostic Features: Numerous small brownish orange or reddish brown spots on head, body, and median fins. Body with 5 faint, irregular, oblique, dark bars. Caudal fin not dusky.
Size: Maximum length at least 95 cm.

Scientific Name: Epinephelus corallicola (Valenciennes, 1828)

English Name: Coral Grouper
French Name: Mérou corail
Mandarin Name: 石斑魚 (Shí bān yú)
Local Malay Name: Ikan Kerapu Karang, Kerapu Pisang
Main Diagnostic Features: Grey in colour, with well-separated black spots smaller than pupil on head, body and fins. 3 dusky to blackish blotches on body at base of rear half of dorsal fin. Dusky to blackish saddle spot on caudal peduncle.
Size: Maximum total length about 49 cm.

Scientific Name: Epinephelus erythrurus (Valenciennes, 1828)
English Name: Cloudy Grouper, Cloudy Rockcod, Garoupa
Mandarin Name: 石斑魚 (Shí bān yú), 石头斑 (Shítou bān)
Local Malay Name: Ikan Kerapu Tompok Awan, Kerapu Combat
Local Hokkien: Koay Gau
Local Teochew: Gao Hu
Local Cantonese: Seck Pan
Main Diagnostic Features: Body with white and brown patches that form many cloud like pattern.
Size: Maximum total length about 45 cm.

Scientific Name: Epinephelus fasciatomaculosus (Peters, 1865)
English Name: Rock Grouper, Red Banded Grouper
Mandarin Name: 石斑魚 (Shí bān yú), 青眼斑 (Qīng yǎn bān)
Local Malay Name: Ikan Kerapu Batu, Tongkah
Local Hokkien: Koay Gau, Gau Hu
Local Teochew: Gao Hu
Local Cantonese: Seck Pan
Main Diagnostic Features: 5 slightly oblique broad dark bars usually visible on body. The last bar covering peduncle and the first 4 extending into dorsal fin. The first 2 bars are darker dorsally and extend to the margin of spinous dorsal fin.
Size: Maximum total length about 30 cm.

Scientific Name: Epinephelus fasciatus (Forsskål, 1775)
English Name: Blacktip Grouper
Mandarin Name: 石斑魚 (Shí bān yú), 赤石斑鱼 (Chìshí bān yú)
Local Malay Name: Ikan Kerapu Sirip Hitam, Kerapu Merah
Main Diagnostic Features: The outer triangular part of interspinous membranes of dorsal fin black or dark red, with pale yellow or white spot behind tip of each spine.
Size: Maximum total length about 40 cm.

Scientific Name: Epinephelus lanceolatus (Bloch, 1790)
English Name: Giant Grouper, Brindlebass, Brown Spotted Cod, Bumblebee Grouper, Queensland Groper
Mandarin Name: 石斑魚 (Shí bān yú), 鞍帶石斑魚(Ān dài shí bān yú), 龙旦 (Lóng dàn)
Local Malay Name:Ikan Kertang, Kerapu Pertang
Local Cantonese: Long Tan
Main Diagnostic Features: Fins (most visible on pectoral fin) with numerous small black spots. Body colour vary from juvenile to adult.
Size: One of the largest groupers, attains 270 cm total length. Maximum weight 400 kg.

Scientific Name: Epinephelus quoyanus (Valenciennes, 1830)

English Name: Longfin Grouper
Mandarin Name: 石斑魚 (Shí bān yú), 蜜蜂斑 (Mìfēng bān)
Local Malay Name:Ikan Kerapu Cicak, Kerapu Tukul
Local Teochew: Gao Hu
Local Cantonese: Seck Pan
Main Diagnostic Features: Large, close-set, hexagonal to roundish, dark brown to blackish spots. Ventral edge of anal and caudal fins and leading edge of pelvic fins with white line and blackish submarginal band.
Size: Maximum total length 40 cm.

Scientific Name: Epinephelus sexfasciatus (Valenciennes, 1828)

English Name: Sixbar Grouper, Garoupa
Mandarin Name: 石斑魚 (Shí bān yú), 糯米石斑 (Nuòmǐ shí bān)
Local Malay Name: Ikan Kerapu Bebeh
Local Hokkien: Koay Gau
Local Teochew: Gao Hu
Local Cantonese: Seck Pan
Main Diagnostic Features: Body pale to dark brown with 5 dark brown bars on body and 1 on nape. Relatively large dark spots on dorsal, anal and caudal fins.
Size: Maximum total length 28 cm.

Scientific Name: Plectropomus leopardus (Lacepède, 1802)
English Name: Common Coral Trout, Leopard Trout, Leopard Coral Grouper
Mandarin Name: 石斑魚 (Shí bān yú), 七星斑 (Qī xīng bān)
Local Malay Name: Kerapu Sunoh Bara, Kerapu Bintang
Local Hokkien: Ang Gau
Main Diagnostic Features: Body covered in a profusion of small blue dots. Pectoral fin transparent and without blue dots. Distinctive blue ring around the eye.
Size: Maximum standard length 120 cm, commonly 35 cm.

Scientific Name: Plectropomus maculatus (Bloch, 1790)

English Name: Barcheek Coral Trout, Spotted Coral Grouper
Mandarin Name: 石斑魚 (Shí bān yú), 东星斑 (Dōng xīng bān)
Local Malay Name: Ikan Kerapu sunoh pisang, Kerapu Bara
Local Hokkien: Chut Bee Gau, Ang Gau
Main Diagnostic Features: Head, body, and median fins greenish grey, brown, red, or orange-red, with dark-edged blue spots. Spots on head and anterior part of body oval or horizontally elongated. The spots become much smaller, more uniformly round, and more numerous on rear part of body and on fins.
Size: Maximum total length about 125 cm

Scientific Name: Variola albimarginata Baissac, 1953
English Name: White-edged Lyretail, White-edged Lunartail
Mandarin Name: 石斑魚 (Shí bān yú), 白缘星鲙 (Bái yuán xīng kuài)
Local Malay Name: Kerapu Sabit Putih
Main Diagnostic Features: Caudal fin lunate. Margin of caudal fin with a narrow white edge.
Size: Maximum total length 47 cm.

Nutritional Facts for Grouper:

Item: Fish, grouper, mixed species, raw

Refuse: 0%
Scientific Name: Epinephelus spp.
NDB No: 15031 (Nutrient values and weights are for edible portion)

Nutrient	Units	Value per 100 grams	Number of Data Points	Std. Error
Proximates
Water	g	79.22	6	0.478
Energy	kcal	92	0	0.000
Energy	kJ	385	0	0.000
Protein	g	19.38	6	0.457
Total lipid (fat)	g	1.02	7	0.000
Ash	g	1.17	5	0.014
Carbohydrate, by difference	g	0.00	0	0.000
Fiber, total dietary	g	0.0	0	0.000
Minerals
Calcium, Ca	mg	27	5	4.075
Iron, Fe	mg	0.89	5	0.015
Magnesium, Mg	mg	31	3	0.580
Phosphorus, P	mg	162	5	0.000
Potassium, K	mg	483	3	9.220
Sodium, Na	mg	53	4	9.409
Zinc, Zn	mg	0.48	51	0.030
Copper, Cu	mg	0.020	52	0.002
Manganese, Mn	mg	0.014	3	0.001
Selenium, Se	µg	36.5	0	0.000
Vitamins
Vitamin C, total ascorbic acid	mg	0.0	0	0.000
Thiamin	mg	0.070	2	0.000
Riboflavin	mg	0.005	2	0.000
Niacin	mg	0.313	1	0.000
Pantothenic acid	mg	0.750	0	0.000
Vitamin B-6	mg	0.300	0	0.000
Folate, total	µg	9	0	0.000
Folic acid	µg	0	0	0.000
Folate, food	µg	9	0	0.000
Folate, DFE	µg_DFE	9	0	0.000
Vitamin B-12	µg	0.60	2	0.000
Vitamin A, RAE	µg_RAE	43	0	0.000
Retinol	µg	43	0	0.000
Vitamin A, IU	IU	143	0	0.000
Lipids
Fatty acids, total saturated	g	0.233	0	0.000
4:0	g	0.000	0	0.000
6:0	g	0.000	0	0.000
8:0	g	0.000	0	0.000
10:0	g	0.000	0	0.000
12:0	g	0.000	0	0.000
14:0	g	0.012	2	0.000
16:0	g	0.169	2	0.000
18:0	g	0.049	2	0.000
Fatty acids, total monounsaturated	g	0.202	0	0.000
16:1 undifferentiated	g	0.027	2	0.000
18:1 undifferentiated	g	0.145	2	0.000
20:1	g	0.029	1	0.000
22:1 undifferentiated	g	0.007	1	0.000
Fatty acids, total polyunsaturated	g	0.321	0	0.000
18:2 undifferentiated	g	0.012	2	0.000
18:3 undifferentiated	g	0.010	1	0.000
18:4	g	0.000	0	0.000
20:4 undifferentiated	g	0.033	2	0.000
20:5 n-3 (EPA)	g	0.027	2	0.000
22:5 n-3 (DPA)	g	0.010	2	0.000
22:6 n-3 (DHA)	g	0.220	2	0.000
Cholesterol	mg	37	2	0.000
Amino acids
Tryptophan	g	0.217	0	0.000
Threonine	g	0.849	0	0.000
Isoleucine	g	0.893	0	0.000
Leucine	g	1.575	0	0.000
Lysine	g	1.779	0	0.000
Methionine	g	0.574	0	0.000
Cystine	g	0.208	0	0.000
Phenylalanine	g	0.756	0	0.000
Tyrosine	g	0.654	0	0.000
Valine	g	0.998	0	0.000
Arginine	g	1.159	0	0.000
Histidine	g	0.570	0	0.000
Alanine	g	1.172	0	0.000
Aspartic acid	g	1.984	0	0.000
Glutamic acid	g	2.892	0	0.000
Glycine	g	0.930	0	0.000
Proline	g	0.685	0	0.000
Serine	g	0.791	0	0.000
Other
Alcohol, ethyl	g	0.0	0	0.000

Source: USDA National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference, Release 24 (2011)

References:

Heemstra. P.C. (2002). Perciformes: Percoidei: Serranidae in: Carpenter, K.E. (ed.). THE LIVING MARINE RESOURCES OF THE WESTERN CENTRAL ATLANTIC Volume 2 Bony fishes part 1 (Acipenseridae to Grammatidae). Rome, FAO. 2002. pp.1308-1369

Mohd Azmi Ambak, Mansor Mat Isa, Mohd Zaidi Zakaria and Mazlan Abd Ghaffar (2010) Fishes of Malaysia. Universiti Malaysia Trengganu, Malaysia. Penerbit UMT.

Family Serranidae - Sea basses: groupers and fairy basslets. Fishbase. Available at:

http://www.fishbase.org/Summary/FamilySummary.php?ID=289

USDA National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference. USDA. Available at http://www.nal.usda.gov

Back to line fishing

2011-09-23T00:30:00.001+08:00

This week we went rod and line fishing in Batu Malang using bigfin reef squid as bait. There was a dolphin there but I'm not able to capture any photograph of it.

Caught quite many groupers and a Yellow Streaked Snapper. The Yellow Streaked Snapper is not a common snapper species in this area.

Came back quite late that night and the pictures of the fish had to be captured in very poor lighting.

Rain, snake and fish from Pulau Tinggi

2011-09-13T00:10:00.000+08:00

The catch for the week is just OK for Salleh, as usual mostly groupers and snappers. Saturday was a rainy day and I didn't go to sea. Instead I drove to the old jetty. There are some folks fishing. They only caught some belanger croakers. Feels good to be on the jetty. The photograph below was taken from my car.

Sea is quite rough for this week. I had to admit I vomited in the sea while waiting for the boat to start up. It was the last pull when Salleh can't start his engine.

Got this picture of a 2 meters yellow king cobra by the road side on Sunday morning.

The fish pictures collected this week is very good as I got a fisherman friend just came back from Pulau Tinggi with his bubu catch. For the first time I had a big range of parrot fish pictures. Going to take some time before I can figure out what species are these and put it into my fish identification list..

Some prawn story in Tanjung Leman

2011-09-05T23:29:00.000+08:00

Most of the prawn caught in Tanjung Leman are King Prawn (Penaeus Latisulcatus) or "tua heh" in both Chinese and Malay. Here king prawn is sold in very high price to the middleman. The fisherman uses the bottom drift net or better known here as the apollo net to catch this type of prawn. The apollo net is made from a combination of nylon and string.. Besides prawn, croakers will also be caught in the net. Water type for prawn fishing is murky type as shown below.

Murky water normally had king prawn

The prawn catch for last Saturday is considered somewhat satisfactory as we really only expected enough for dinner. Besides king prawn there are some sharp-rostrum prawn (swa-low) and giant tiger prawn.

The prawn photographed below is by far the biggest giant tiger prawn ever seen in Tanjung Leman. Caught by another fisherman nearby, it should at least weight more than 500g.

The guy with the largest Giant Tiger Prawn

We got home very late at about 8:30pm and nearly not able to find the drift net in the dark. Dinner at L.O. Conner, our usual relaxing spot after fishing was the best tonight. We're having the famous Nasi Goreng Tanjung Leman Special. Of course we changed the prawn with the one we just freshly took back.

Restaurant at the Tengaroh Timur Junction

Nasi Goreng Tanjung Leman Special

Accumulate more Fish Photo

2011-08-28T09:03:00.000+08:00

After taking a break last week, I felt so desperate to do the trip this week. I'm beginning to suspect that fishing should be a form of addiction. And I think sea sickness is the main cause of that addition. I might be wrong but since drugs, alcohol and gambling involve some parts of the body being hurt or under stress and stimulated, there could be a possibility that I am right about this.

The Timur Tengaroh 2 village is becoming more quiet as the Hari Raya festival is approaching. This village is considered a newer settlement and naturally the villagers will go back to their original village during the Hari Raya festive. Salleh's family is already preparing to go back to their village when I arrived.

This is the fourth week of the Ramadan month and the Muslim is still fasting. I still have to refrain from eating and smoking in public. Something I respect about Salleh is he is still able to perform his tough fishing job while fasting.

The catch I would say is still not as good as compared to June but I do accumulate more fish photograph. I will put these up in my Fish Identification List some time this week.

How to choose a fresh fish?

2011-08-25T00:06:00.000+08:00

How to choose a fresh fish? The answer is simple enough. Catch the fish yourself. That way you'll be 100% sure it's fresh. Other than that you'll have to learn some background knowledge, acquire some skill and sharpen your senses.

Background Knowledge
Before we go detail into checking the fish physically, we ought to understand that there are two main categories of fish in the market. The main categories are:

Caught fish
Aqua cultured fish

Caught fish is the wild fish that normally do not come in the same sizes in the market. It normally taste better than the fish from breeding ponds and cages. In Malaysia, caught fish is much more expensive and will normally be sold to exclusive restaurant or export to other countries like Singapore. Only a small amount will end up in the local wet markets. I found out that some fishing village markets actually sell imported fish while the fishermen sold their local fish out at a different price.

Aqua cultured fish or farmed fish will normally be sold in bulk to the lower and mid range seafood restaurant, exported and sold to wet markets. Aqua cultured fish is then further divided into freshwater and saltwater. Some natural saltwater fish can be breed in freshwater. Of course the taste is different.

Time Factors
The 2 main categories the fish can be further categorized into how long the fish had been caught or harvested. This can range from days to weeks to months. Hence the terms "local" and "imported" fish come into picture. Local simply means that the fish is harvested locally and normally are being marketed within a few days to at times a week or 2 after the fish is harvested. Imported fish range from weeks onwards to months.

Some people just do not believe that some fish are actually harvested months ago before arriving at the market place. But it is true. In Malaysia the deep sea fisherman goes out to sea for as long as a week but in neighboring countries a fishing trip can last as long as three months. Fish supplier and fish monger that intend to store their fish for a long period of time are using formaldehyde solutions to keep the look of the fish. They usually have to display their fish for days before a buyer can come along. Without the implementation of advanced packaging and freezer, this is the only way for the fish to last in ice packed boxes before being sold out to their customer.

Formaldehyde is the simplest member of aldehyde family but a very reactive chemical, where the gaseous form is known as formaldehyde and the liquid form as formalin. Characteristically, formaldehyde is a colorless, strong-smelling, irritating, poisonous and flammable gas (WHO, 2002). Formaldehyde solutions or more commonly known as formalin is a chemical that is widely used as a preservation chemical for human corpse and preserved animal. International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) has classified formaldehyde as a Group 1 carcinogenic to humans (2004). According to Malaysian Food Regulations 1985, Regulation 148 and 159 (2006), only smoked fish and meat are permitted to incidentally absorb formaldehyde during processing in a proportion not exceeding 5 µg g-1. However, for fresh fish, the permitted amount of formaldehyde present in fish is not specified.

For more information of formaldehyde solutions effects, you can search the web or visit this link:
http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/factsheet/Risk/formaldehyde
http://www.ccohs.ca/oshanswers/chemicals/chem_profiles/formaldehyde/health_for.html

Skill and Senses
Here are the skill to check the freshness of a fish:

Eyes: Look for bright, clear eyes that bulge up. The eyes are the window to a truly fresh fish, over time they fade quickly into gray dullness. Fresh fish will have their eye fluid bulge up in a spherical shape.

Fresh fish eyes are bright and clear

Rotten Fish Eyes - Got this picture in the a wet market

Skin: Look at the fish. Does it shine? Does it look metallic? Or has it dulled or has discolored? Fresh fish have a somewhat slimy protective coating that keeps the fish colour rich and bright. The flesh have to be firm.

Fresh fish looks bright and metallic

The same fish as above but the skin is dull and colour faded

If it fails the 2 criteria above, then don't even bother to go to the next steps.

Gills: This is the oldest trick. Opens up the gills. Fresh fish have rich red colour while the old ones are in faded bricks colour. Sticky gills could also indicate excessive use of formaldehyde solutions.

Fresh Fish with red gills

Dull and discoloured gills

Smell: Its arguable to say that fresh fish do not smell at all. Some freshly caught fish does smell quite heavily of mud but look out for pungent dead rat and nauseating chemical smell. Nauseating chemical smell is also an indication of excessive formaldehyde solutions.
Taste: Although it's already too late but it will build up your experience in time to choose better the next time round. Fresh fish normally do not taste bitter in the deeper coloured portion and is very tasty. There should be no foul-smell at all although some fish does come with a heavy smell and the meat should be very much intact.

Be realistic
Fresh fish will normally come with a much higher price unless the whole market is having a lot of similar type of fish. Don't be surprise to find freshly caught fish to cost as much as 2 to 3 times the market price. Do not fall into the cheap and fresh trap. Logically these two does not happen at the same time, or at least not in this region.

Some freshly caught fish

Seafood and Fisherman's Food

2011-08-24T00:06:00.000+08:00

I had always been a seafood lover. Growing up in Penang island, great seafood is just easy to find. There are countless seafood restaurant that serves fresh seafood. My personal favorite during those time includes all sorts of clams, prawns, squid and crab.

When I moved to JB about 4 years ago, I suddenly felt that the seafood here are quite bland especially prawn and fish. I had thought that maybe the seafood here are different because of the different sea environment. I was wrong. I only found out this when I made a trip to Sungai Rengit and tasted the prawn there. Ever since, I would travel hundreds of kilometers to find good seafood. I would drive 3 hours to Sungai Duyong in Melaka, Kukup in the western coast of Johor, Mersing in the east of Johor. Only the former is worth the trip. Once I even drove along the old trunk road by the west coast sea side that leads to Batu Pahat to look for seafood restaurant. At a different time, I drove all the stretch of eastern Johor coast..

Since I step into Tanjung Leman, I started to recover back my long lost seafood taste. It is even better than when I was in Penang. Nowadays, snapper, grouper, mackerel, lobster, prawn and crab become so in reach. In the normal circumstances, fisherman would have sold those as it fetches high price from the middleman that sold it to the expensive restaurant. Most fisherman would reserve Tigertooth Croaker, mackerel and small black promfet for their own consumption because these fish taste is among the best but at the same time does not fetch a high enough price for them to give away. The fact that I'm doing it partly for pleasure, I get to enjoy the best out of it.

Lobster maggie for breakfast

Home cook steamboat for two adult

Home cook Teochew Steam Roving Coral Grouper

This week's catch - Getting better

2011-08-14T15:54:00.000+08:00

This week finally the sea is getting calm in Tanjung Leman. The water is clear and the sky looks blue. I haven't see this for quite some time. For the last few weeks there are all sorts of thunder storms, Nock-ten and even water spout which is a tornado like phenomenon happening in Tanjung Leman and Mersing. Here is the video of the water spout captured from the L.O. Corner restaurant facing the sea on 8th of June 2011. I was lucky that the water spout did not happen in the weekend before or after. Imagine this to happen while you're still in the sea.

The catch this week is considered much better compared to the previous few weeks. We even caught a Tropical Sand Goby or Acentrogobius Caninus, trapped in one of the Bubu placed at the fisherman Jetty. I only snapped pictures of the fish and let it go.

Acentrogobius Caninus - Top View

Other catch includes a 750 grams Spotted Coral Grouper, a one kilogram green eyes Orange-spotted Grouper, some other mid size groupers, some lobsters and etc. So why the fuss about 1 kilogram or 750 gram grouper, we often see anglers with their bigger catch. Actually for groupers, 750 grams to 1 kilogram is the perfect size for best taste. Price actually drops when the grouper is larger than 1.1 kilograms. But anglers will go for bigger fish for the fun of the "fight" and not for the taste.

Plectropomus maculatus

The Coral Grouper made lunch along with some small size Barramundis and Russel Snappers. I had also treated my colleagues for the Orange Spotted Grouper tonight. I'll save the lobsters for tomorrow. Gosh! I'm really gaining weight and maybe a lot of cholesterol too. Just hope the oat meal breakfast can really take care of the cholesterol built up. Maybe, sometime next week, I'll post up what kind of seafood I had been having for the last few weeks.

This Week's Special - Longfin Grouper

2011-08-08T00:15:00.000+08:00

This week the catch is not so good because majority of the fish trap are damaged. We had to repair the fish trap in the sea. The damage fish trap are those located at the lobster area. We believe it is most probably due to other fisherman's lobster net stucked and they damaged the fish trap while releasing their net.

Caught a longfin grouper this week.

Epinephelus Quoyanus

This week there are some white sea urchins stuck on the fish trap. Like all sea urchins, these sea urchins have sharp spikes that is easily broken.

White sea urchin

Rough Sea This Week - Nock-ten

2011-08-01T01:48:00.000+08:00

I've been to Tanjung Leman for the past 3 months but this time the sea is the roughest I've ever seen in this area. I guessed it's most likely to be affected by the storm called Nock-ten which hits the Philippines and South Korea badly. from Tuesday this week killing more than 50 in Philippines alone.
For the detail reports on the storm, visit this link:
http://my.news.yahoo.com/toll-philippines-storms-hits-54-111801312.html.

Rough sea viewed from Leman Beach with Sibu Island and Pulau Tinggi

The condition on the beach is actually not so bad although strong wind is felt and I spent time capturing some photograph of the Leman Beach.

Beach Camping

My favorite resting spot below the sea hibiscus tree at the center of picture

On the next day, the sea had calmed down in the morning but just before noon the condition begins to turn bad again. We're in the sea when the strong wind started to blow again and we could not finish collect the fish from all the fish trap. Just had to turn back. Brought back some lobster, one grouper, one large eel catfish and a few snapper.


Lobster caught

Eel Catfish

Russel’s Snapper or Ikan Tanda

We actually went back out to sea to try our luck with Apollo net and got back with some king prawns, tiger prawn and all sorts of fishes. But I had to come back after the second cast when the sea got so rough that for the first time I got sea sick. Went back to Skudai at about 6 pm with just some king prawn, a grouper and a mangrove snapper.

King prawn

Fishing in Tanjung Leman - The Start

2011-07-26T23:57:00.000+08:00

This blog is created to document my experiences in Tanjung Leman. I am currently working in a multi national corporation in Johor.

It all started with an intention to make a family trip to Mersing on a Saturday in April 2011. We were approaching the Mersing district when I decided to stopped for a sugarcane drink in a place called Felda Sungai Ara. I had a chat with a young man while waiting for him to prepare the drink. From there on I diverted my destination to Tanjung Leman.

In Tanjung Leman after a day of swimming and playing on the beach I finally stopped by a Malay restaurant for dinner and met a fisherman called Salleh. He had just came back from sea with about 20 Kg of King Prawn. Bought some prawn from him and he offered some more silver pomfret. After buying the seafood, we went back to Skudai. It's the freshest fish I had ever tasted in Johor Bahru. From there on I came to know a lot about the length of months fishes in the Johor Bahru market are kept.

The following week I made another trip and I've been hooked to that place until now. Nowadays I travel to Tanjung Leman every weekend to collect fish in the sea together with Salleh.

Visit my web pages if you are interested in the fish, crustacean and mollusca species found in this area.

Boats parking at the Tanjung Leman Fisherman Jetty

Salleh Bai my fisherman friend