Travelogue Day 7: It’s bonus season at Kuala Baram
It is krill (bubuk) season at offshore of Kuala Baram and the local fishermen numbering about 200 of them are busy catching the tiny crustaceans measuring between 1-6 mm. Bubuk is crucial for the marine life especially for fish, dolphins and whales.
It is also the favourite seafood for the locals as it could be used for cooking, making cakes and for making belacan (fermented krill/shrimp paste) and cencaluk (fermented krill sauce).
Every year, bubuk season occurs between two weeks after Chinese new and would last for a few months.
Bubuk season is a big bonus for the local fishermen
Indeed, every year, Abdul Mutalip Jalaludin, 59, and the local fishermen of Kuala Baram will be looking forward for the bubuk season because it is time of earning extra cash.
“Every time when the bubuk season begins, we are very thrilled as it will be a time for us to get extra windfall,” Mutalip told Kembara Ukas team at Kuala Baram beach today.
Mutalip speaking to Kembara Ukas team
He said during the bubuk season, the fishermen would normally go to the sea as early as 7am to go for the catch.
“As soon as dawn breaks, we will rush to the sea and scoop as much bubuk as possible to be sold at the wet market in Kuala Baram. After few hours we will bring back the catch. And normally we will take a bit of break before we rush back to the sea again. This we will do up to about 4 pm when we normally stopped and called it a day to get ready for the breaking of fast during this Ramadan month,” said Mutalip.
Normally, the fishermen’s boats are powered by a twin-outboard engine to enable them to go to as far as 7 km away from the shore.
“To catch the bubuk, we use two methods, we either use sobo or surface net and the ‘beam troll’ net. Actually, we have been discouraged to use the ‘beam troll’ by the Fisheries Department as they said it will destroy the coral reefs. But honestly, we never reach as far as the coral reefs.
“And our nets are too fragile to get caught up in the coral reefs. And if that happens, we will lose our net too. So, we will not get even close to the coral reefs,” he said.
Fishermen showing their bubuk catch
Mutalip, who was the former head of the local fishermen community, assured the relevant authorities that they will abide by laws that will sustain their livelihood.
“In fact, we are very close to Senadin Assemblyman and Transport Minister Dato Sri Lee Kim Shin who cares for us. So, if we have any problem, we will raise it up to him,” added Mutalip.
Every day, Mutalip and his two workers are able to catch few tons of bubuk. Currently, bubuk is sold at RM7 per kg at the Kuala Baram wet market.
Mutalip and his two workers heading to the sea after selling their catch at the Kuala Baram wet market
Besides Mutalip, who is a Kedayan, there are also Ibans and Chinese fishermen who join in the fray to catch bubuk during its season.
The Kuala Baram wet market
Customers flocked to buy bubuk in the early morning at Kuala Baram wet market
Belacan and cencaluk and dried bubuk
After we left the Kuala Baram wet market, we went straight to visit Juliana Jonathan’s house at Desa Senadin.
Juliana, 52 was formerly from Betong, but has settled down in Miri with her family since she left school in her teens.
And today, he has been making belacan, cancaluk and dried bubuk for over three decades.
“How I get started to make belacan, cencaluk and dried bubuk was through a mutual friend over thirty years ago. And today I am still doing it part time as I’m also looking after my grandchild,” said Juliana, who is married with four children.
According to Making, making belacan, cencaluk and dried bubuk is time consuming..
“There is long process to make belacan, cencaluk and dried bubuk. So normally, it will take at least three to four days to produce them. And that is also if we have hot weather as we need to dry them before we can process them,” she said.
Juliana drying up the bubuk under the sun after soaking it with salt overnight, in her house at Desa Senadin
Unlike making cencaluk and dried bubuk which requires simple process, making belacan needs finer processes as the bubuk need to be pounded few times to get a finer texture before we can wrap them up,” she said.
Belacan ready for packing.
Juliana normally sells her belacan and cencaluk to her relatives and friends in Miri, Betong and Kuching while the fried bubuk is normally given away as gifts to her friends and relatives.
Juliana showing how the belacan and dried bubuk is packed and ready for sale.
Both the belacan and cancaluk are sold for RM60 per kilogramme.
