In an effort to enhance fishermen’s knowledge and skills in handling fishery products, lecturers from the Faculty of Fisheries and Marine Sciences, Universitas Airlangga — Dwi Yuli Pujiastuti, Dr. Laksmi Sulmartiwi, and Lailatul Lutfiyah — conducted a community service program entitled “Empowering Teluk Kumbar Fishermen in Penang through Value-Added Fishery Product Processing Based on Appropriate Technology” for the fishing community in Teluk Kumbar, Penang, Malaysia. The program was carried out as part of an international community service collaboration between the Faculty of Fisheries and Marine Sciences, Universitas Airlangga, and the School of Biological Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia.
The community engagement program aimed to improve fishermen’s understanding of proper postharvest fish handling practices in order to maintain the quality, safety, and economic value of fishery products. During the training session, Dwi emphasized that fish quality is highly influenced by handling procedures starting from the catching process on board fishing vessels to distribution and further processing stages. Improper handling practices may accelerate quality deterioration, reduce product competitiveness, and ultimately lower fishermen’s income. Therefore, implementing hygienic and efficient postharvest handling practices is essential to ensure that fishery products meet food safety standards and possess higher market value in both domestic and international markets.
As part of the educational activities, Dwi also prepared and distributed a practical handbook containing guidelines for fish postharvest handling. The handbook provided comprehensive information regarding proper sanitation and hygiene practices during fishing operations on board vessels, appropriate ice storage techniques, hygienic fish handling procedures, and fishery product processing methods that can increase product value. The handbook was designed to serve as an accessible learning resource for fishermen, enabling them to apply the knowledge directly in their daily activities. Through this initiative, the program sought to encourage sustainable behavioral changes among fishermen toward adopting better fish handling systems and improving overall product quality throughout the supply chain.
In addition to discussing main fishery products, the program also introduced the concept of utilizing fishery by-products. Fish parts that are often considered waste, such as bones, skin, heads, and scales, can be further processed into various food and non-food products with high economic value. This concept aligns with the zero-waste principle in the fisheries industry, which promotes the optimal utilization of all parts of fishery commodities to minimize waste generation while increasing economic opportunities for coastal communities. The participants were introduced to various examples of by-product utilization that could potentially be developed into small-scale community-based businesses, thereby creating additional sources of income for fishermen and their families.
Through this international community service initiative, the fishermen of Teluk Kumbar are expected to implement better and more sustainable fish handling practices while also developing diversified value-added fishery products that can improve the economic welfare of coastal communities. Furthermore, this collaboration reflects the commitment of higher education institutions to supporting community empowerment and the sustainable development of the fisheries sector at the international level. The activity also strengthened academic and community engagement partnerships between Universitas Airlangga and Universiti Sains Malaysia, opening opportunities for future collaborative programs in research, education, and community development related to sustainable fisheries and marine resources management.
Writer: Dwi Yuli Pujiastuti
Editor: TPA
