Kuala lumpur: Bumping into a crocodile while catching invasive fish species in the Klang River is certainly an unforgettable experience for armed forces veteran Haziman Amli Hasan. Haziman Amli, one of the many Malaysians who have dedicated themselves to the eradication of invasive fish species that plague the rivers of Malaysia, admitted that such an encounter served as a reminder that clearing rivers of invasive fish was not only a hard task but one that could be fraught with unknown danger.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, Haziman Amli recounted the startling encounter, stating, "At that time, I was with five other friends netting the fishes when I saw the outline of a crocodile that emerged about three metres from where we were. It was really a shock and luckily the crocodile did not attack. I told my friends to move away and look for another location." He shared this experience during the closure of the Perak Fish Fiesta 2025 at Dataran Victoria.

At the event, Haziman Amli was crowned the overall champion for the Perak Invasive Fish Hunt Grand Prix, taking home RM5,000 with his impressive haul of 11,901 kilogrammes of invasive fish. As the Malaysia Invasive Fish Hunter Squad (SPIA) secretary, he also highlighted other challenges faced by anglers like him, including water surges, fast currents, and nets tangled in rocks, especially when exploring unfamiliar rivers.

He noted, "If it is a river around Selangor or Kuala Lumpur, we are familiar with its currents, but in Sungai Kinta (Ipoh) for instance, we have been hit by a water surge while out on a hunt. We were lucky, we got back to land to save ourselves." Despite these challenges, Haziman Amli expressed pride in his work against invasive fish, having helped catch over 57 metric tons since 2022, with nearly 80 per cent being of the Hypostomus plecostomus species.

"For me, using a net is more effective as such species move in groups and can be caught by the dozen with each net toss," he explained. Initially, efforts by SPIA were not taken seriously by some, but after showcasing their work on social media, the public began to recognize the impact of invasive species on local ecosystems. "Now when we go on a hunt, many show up and ask, and there are also those who send reports of invasive fish in smaller rivers. That's a positive development," he shared.

Meanwhile, Perak Fisheries director Mohd Ghazali Abdul Manap reported that almost 10 metric tons of invasive fish were caught over the three-day event. Participants included locals and individuals from Kuala Lumpur and Selangor, competing in contests held in Ipoh, Kampung Gajah, and Kuala Kangsar. "Even though there still are invasive species in open waters, this is a good effort in ensuring our zero invasive fish target in five years can be achieved," he added.