PUTRAJAYA: Malaysia and Thailand are in talks to resolve trade friction over sea bass and prawns, with both sides working towards an amicable resolution.
Fisheries director-general Adnan Hussain said the discussions focussed on enhancing technical requirements to facilitate trade without compromising biosecurity, food safety and aquatic animal health.
“Malaysia views the process as a technical coordination effort between the competent authorities of both countries and not as a trade dispute.
“The approach taken is based on science, risk management and shared interests to ensure the fisheries trade relationship continues to grow in a fair, transparent and mutually beneficial manner,” he said in a statement.
Adnan said Malaysia had submitted 35 technical questions concerning the prawn trade to seek further clarification following an initial assessment of the information provided by Thailand, before finalising any risk assessment.
On sea bass, he said the two countries were refining import requirements around certification, food safety and risk management.
He said Malaysia has proposed harmonising certification requirements, improving traceability systems, sharing scientific data and moving to risk-based inspections.
“Malaysia hopes this approach will pave the way for a review of the 100% sampling requirement for sea bass exporters with good compliance records, while exploring mechanisms such as green lanes for farms that meet food safety and biosecurity standards,” he said.
Adnan said Malaysia also hoped to resolve Thailand’s ban on Malaysian prawns, in place since 2017, through a “common technical approach” aimed at more balanced market access for both countries’ aquaculture industries.
The fisheries department will continue working with other ministries and agencies to strengthen export market access while helping operators meet compliance, traceability and biosecurity standards, he said.
The statement came after yesterday’s meeting between Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim and his Thai counterpart Anutin Charnvirakul, held during Anutin’s official visit to Malaysia, at which both leaders agreed to expedite resolving outstanding fisheries market access issues.
On May 16, Malaysia tightened controls on Thai fisheries imports by requiring Certificates of Analysis for sea bass and temporarily restricting imports of five shrimp species.
Thailand is among Malaysia’s key sea bass export markets, with bilateral trade worth RM92.6 million involving 9,286 tonnes in 2024. Trade so far in 2025 stood at RM42.6 million involving 4,320 tonnes.
