Holding Exiting Fish Farmers Accountable for Marine Debris and Dumping

23 Ms Nadia Ahmad Samdin asked the Minister for Sustainability and the Environment what regulations are in place to hold accountable and support fish farmers who exit the industry so as to prevent marine debris and dumping.

Ms Grace Fu Hai Yien: Under the Temporary Occupation Licence and lease conditions, fish farmers who exit the industry will need to reinstate their sites to the original conditions. They have to obtain relevant regulatory approvals prior to demolition and engage surveyors to carry out sonar scans of the environment. The Singapore Food Agency (SFA) assigns farms with account managers who will provide guidance on the process and the requirements that farms need to adhere to. SFA also conducts physical checks and will investigate if there are signs of unauthorised dumping of marine debris. If a licensee is found culpable, SFA will take enforcement actions, which may include pursuing liquidated damages and recovering costs incurred by the Government to complete the reinstatement.