HRH inspects progress of marine eco-tourism projects

HRH inspects progress of marine eco-tourism projects


Royal working visit: HRH Prince Hj Al-Muhtadee Billah (L), the Crown Prince and Senior Minister at the Prime Minister's Office, during his working visit to fishing and maritime eco-tourism project sites yesterday. Also present were Deputy Minister of Industry and Primary Resources Dato Paduka Hj Hamdillah Hj Abd Wahab (2nd R) and Deputy Minister at the Prime Minister's Office Dato Seri Paduka Eusoff Agaki Hj Ismail (R). Picture: Courtesy of infofotoBANDAR SERI BEGAWAN



Friday, August 22, 2008


HIS Royal Highness Prince Hj Al-Muhtadee Billah, the Crown Prince and Senior Minister at the Prime Minister's Office, continued his series of working visits yesterday with a tour of fishing and maritime eco-tourism project sites under the Ministry of Industry and Primary Resources (MIPR).

Upon his arrival at the site, the Crown Prince was greeted by Minister of Industry and Primary Resources Pehin Orang Kaya Setia Pahlawan Dato Seri Setia Dr Hj Ahmad Hj Jumat and Deputy Minister Dato Paduka Hj Hamdillah Hj Abd Wahab and Deputy Minister at the Prime Minister's Office Dato Seri Paduka Eusoff Agaki Hj Ismail.

The visit was aimed at monitoring the progress and development of businesses and institutions, including the economic activities which are aligned with MIPR's efforts in promoting economic diversification.

The economic activities under the ministry are expected to generate opportunities for small and medium enterprises (SMEs), enhance the country's economic competitiveness in the international arena, and attract foreign direct investment to the country.

His Royal Highness' visit began with a tour of HT Enterprise, which handles the fisheries eco-tourism project.

The company, which also lists crab and fish breeding as its business activities, is among one of the successful participants of financial assistance through the Enterprise Facilitation Scheme from His Majesty's Government.

The company's site, located along Brunei Bay's mangrove forest swamp, is around 2.25 hectares in size and is expected to see the completion of construction of 15 chalets, a restaurant and the conference room by December this year.

The Crown Prince also took a closer look at the construction of chalets and other facilities at sites related to the project's implementation.

The visit then continued to the Fish Landing Centre in Muara where His Royal Highness boarded a special vehicle to continue the tour of fishing and maritime eco-tourism sites located two nautical miles off the coast in surrounding Pilong-Pilongan Island.

Upon arrival, His Royal Highness was presented with a demonstration of enforcement operations by the Marine Police and Internal Security Division which secure and patrol the safety zone within 500 metres of restricted areas along oil and gas platforms and within Brunei waters.

The demonstration also included a fishing display orchestrated by two trawler fishing vessels which showed His Royal Highness the process and type of fishing that is carried out within the waters.

As of 2008, only 15 commercial trawlers are operating in Zone two (three to 20 nautical miles) in Brunei waters.

The maritime areas within the waters surrounding the Pilong-Pilongan Island are among the many locations rich with diverse marine life and has a high potential for resources within the fisheries industry.

The site has the potential to offer an estimated $27 million within the span of five years through various recreational activities, such as scuba diving, snorkelling, sport fishing and wildlife preservation.

Coral reefs within the area are also among the exotic locations off the west coast. It has been identified as one of the sites for the development of offshore cages for fish breeding with an estimated area of over 200 hectares.

His Royal Highness also took the opportunity to view the highlights that were transmitted through an undersea remote operating vehicle (ROV) followed by a scuba diving demonstration that showed monitoring and assessment procedures carried out to inspect the coral reefs. (SRH1)

The Brunei Times