FRI Pulau Sayak was formerly known as the National Prawn Fry Production and Research Centre (NAPFRE). It is located at Kampung Pulau Sayak, Kota Kuala Muda, Kedah. The centre was built in 1986 with construction cost of around RM 25 million and technical assistance from the Japanese government through JICA. This location was chosen because it has access to clean seawater sources and is close to Sungai Petani and Butterworth, which have good infrastructure and logistics.
The initial objectives of establishing FRI Pulau Sayak are to:
The main activities of FRI Pulau Sayak at the moment are the implementation of R&D&I&C related to marine crustaceans, technical service support and related technology transfer to the target group, as well as dissemination of research results. FRI Pulau Sayak consists of seven (7) research officers and 36 support staff. In addition, IPP PS also manages two other small centres, which are the Brackish Water Livestock Demonstration Centre in Ban Merbok and the Langkawi Research Station. There are four (4) main research branches at FRI Pulau Sayak, which are Crustacea Branch, New Resources Branch, Food Branch and Technical Support Branch. The main allocation to carry out R&D is from the Malaysian plan fund. In addition, FRI Pulau Sayak also has many research collaborations with external parties, including MARDI, PTA/IPTS, private companies and local farmers/entrepreneurs.
Breed development, seeding and seed production of tiger prawns (Penaeus monodon) and lobsters (Macrobrachium rosenbergii)
Development of Fish and Shrimp Feed Formulations and Technologies
Formulation of shrimp broodstock and rearing foo
Livestock seaweed, latok (Caulerpa lentifera)
High density and hygienic live food production
Oyster hatchery and farming
Penyelidikan ternakan ikan marin.
Research on sea cucumber hatchery and farming (Holothuria sp. & Stichopus sp.)
Research on seaweed hatchery through tissue culture technology (Kappaphycus sp. & Caulerpa sp.)
Development of lobster broodstock, Macrobrachium rosenbergii up to the 6th generation (G6) with good growth performance and free of specific diseases (MrNV)
Development of feed formulations for white shrimp (Litopenaeus vannamei) using alternative feed ingredients, such as hydrolysed chicken feather meal, as a replacement for fish meal
The production of nine (9) innovations and four (4) of which are registered as intellectual property (wet shrimp feed (PrimeEZeat), fish feed premix (GROWEZMIX), farm-level fish feed extruder machine (M-SPEX), photobioreactor for microalgae farming with high density and hygienic)
Won a gold medal in The National Innovation & Invention Competition (I-CompEx’18) for photobioreactor innovation in 2018.
Won the gold medal award (public service category) and a special award by Chinese Innovation and Invention Society (CIIS), Taiwan for M-SPEX innovation in 2022.
Manual on the breeding and larval culture of red-legged shrimp (Fenneropenaeus merguiensis)
Development of six cohorts of tiger shrimp broodstock candidates through selective breeding to produce F1 and F2 generations
Development of Latok breeding methods in tanks
Production of SOP for breeding and rearing larvae of red-legged shrimp Fenneropenaeus merguiensis and SOP for transporting shrimp without water
