AQUASYS: INTEGRATED AQUACULTURE SYSTEM

Abstract

Sarawak is the second-largest state in Malaysia by individual-holding aquaculture area (3,867 hectares, 34.7%), yet its coastal fish farmers remain exposed to monsoon damage, single-species monoculture inefficiency and nutrient waste accumulation that undermine food security and livelihoods. This abstract presents AQUASYS©, a modular Integrated Multi-Trophic Aquaculture (IMTA) system combining fish, seaweed, and bivalves (oysters and mussels) within a zero-waste ecosystem. The cluster-based structure is transferable and dockable, allowing relocation during monsoon seasons, while individual modules; fish cages, seaweed lines, bivalve units, and bivalve shell artificial reefs functioning as anchors and filters can be configured to site-specific needs. Because low-trophic species feed naturally from the surrounding environment, AQUASYS©requires no external feed, directly addressing direct material cost, the largest single expenditure component (58%) reported for Malaysia's aquaculture subsector, while delivering environmental, economic and social impact. The system also functions as a living laboratory for research, education and training. A pilot deployment was carried out at Lundu, Sarawak. State government support for aquaculture development allocated RM7 million in December 2025. Potential strategic partnerships between Universiti Malaysia Sarawak (UNIMAS) and key stakeholders, including Jabatan Perikanan Laut Sarawak (JPLS), PPES Aqua Santubong, Sarawak Biodiversity Corporation (SFC) and coastal communities, will develop the aquaculture system that demonstrates a user-friendly, communitycentric design aligned with the policy goals of Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security and the Sarawak Marine Fisheries Department (MFCORD) and the UN Sustainable Development Goals. The findings support AQUASYS as a scalable, low-cost design solution for climate-resilient coastal aquaculture, with strategic potential for expansion across Sarawak, Malaysia, and the wider ASEAN region. Keywords: Integrated Multi-Trophic Aquaculture, Modular Design, Blue Economy, Coastal Community, Sustainable Aquaculture