Guest guest Posted January 24, 2006 Report Share Posted January 24, 2006 Monday January 23, 2006 - The Star Arowana tagging swift and simple By TEH ENG HOCK JOHOR BARU: The process of tagging Arowanas with microchips is a simple process, which takes under five minutes per fish. Fisheries Department Quarantine and Fish Health Unit head Fauzidah Othman said the microchip, which cost RM15 each, was only about 1cm long and as thick as a lidi (palm leaf spine). Arowanas are the only fish in the country to be tagged with microchips for identification purposes in accordance with the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) requirement, she added. CITES requires Arowanas, an endangered species, to be tagged if they are meant for the import and export markets to prevent wild Arowanas from being caught and sold by poachers. Catching wild Arowanas, which is protected under the Fisheries Act 1991, is prohibited in Malaysia. " The fish can be tagged any time, but is usually tagged when it is between 10cm and 15cm long. " The process is simple. The chip is injected into the body of the fish using a syringe and can be done within five minutes, " she said. The microchip is not battery operated, thus keeping maintenance to a minimum. " It is very much like a Touch n' Go card. The scanner will read the chip in the fish, and a unique serial number will be displayed, " she said. Arowanas are popular among the affluent, and according to Fauzidah, some 22,000 were exported last year. The Customs centre at the Second Link seized 35 Arowanas without microchips recently, Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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