KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 17 — Alien fish account for 95 per cent of fish recorded in Tasik Ampang Hilir, posing a serious threat to the balance of Malaysia’s freshwater ecosystem.

Agriculture and Food Security Ministry secretary-general Datuk Seri Isham Ishak said mitigation efforts needed to be strengthened through data-driven approaches, community education and strategic cooperation involving the government, private sector and non-governmental organisations.

He warned that releasing pet fish into lakes, dams and public waterways when they grow too large or become difficult to care for could harm aquatic biodiversity and threaten the survival of local species.

“If we do not educate, this matter will become a culture that is difficult to curb and will become a long-term problem,” he said at the “Program Kelestarian Perikanan Darat: Mitigasi Memburu Ikan Asing” at Tasik Ampang Hilir here today.