Dr Koh Poh Koon Senior Minister of State, Ministry of Sustainability and the Environment, Ministry of Manpower

Singapore Aims to Significantly Boost Seafood Output with Major Aquaculture Expansion in East Johor Strait

SINGAPORE
Monday, May 19, 2025, 07:00 (GMT + 9)

Targeted 6,700-tonne Annual Production, Exceeding Current National Levels, to be Achieved Through Phased Tender of 117 Hectares from 2026

SINGAPORE – The Singapore Food Agency (SFA) has unveiled ambitious plans to dramatically scale up aquaculture operations in the East Johor Strait, setting a target of 6,700 tonnes of locally produced seafood annually. This expansion, slated to begin with a progressive tender of farming spaces from 2026, aims to significantly enhance Singapore's domestic seafood production, which stood at 4,100 tonnes in 2023, representing a mere 7.3% of the nation's total seafood consumption at the time, according to the latest food statistics.

To uplift the sector to its full potential, the SAP is structured around five pillars

Responding to inquiries from The Straits Times on May 16th, the SFA detailed that the designated aquaculture zones will encompass a total area of 117 hectares – 27 times the size of the Padang field – located in the waters off Pasir Ris, Pulau Ubin, and Pulau Tekong. These areas are currently home to over 30 existing farms, predominantly utilizing open-cage farming methods.

Industry observers have generally welcomed the government's initiative to allocate more space for aquaculture, recognizing its potential to revitalize Singapore's domestic fish production. However, they have also emphasized the need for greater clarity regarding the types of farming systems that will be prioritized in the upcoming tenders, as this will have crucial implications for the long-term sustainability of the expanded operations.

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Mr. Ken Cheong, chief executive of the Singapore Agro-Food Enterprises Federation, an organization focused on enhancing productivity and farming standards within coastal fish farms, lauded the plan for making more "good waters" accessible for aquaculture. "I think new farmers will have a chance to enter the industry," he added, suggesting the expansion could inject fresh dynamism into the sector.

Associate Professor Matthew Tan from the Singapore Institute of Technology offered a more nuanced perspective, stating that achieving the targeted production levels of 6,700 tonnes will necessitate a concerted effort to address existing challenges associated with both traditional open-cage farming and the less polluting closed containment cage systems. He implied that strategic decisions regarding the adoption and scaling of different farming technologies will be critical to the success and environmental impact of this significant aquaculture expansion. The industry will be keenly watching the details of the tender process to understand the SFA's vision for the future of sustainable seafood production in Singapore.

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