The history of tailored organic tourism was created on November 19, 2006 when high -ranking fishing officers from Putrajaya collected money and passed on to the chairman of Tagal Luanti, Jeprin Majangki.
In the past, rivers in Sabah were swarming with fish. In view of the global population growth and the increasing demand for freshwater fish, many of these aquatic ecosystems suffer from overfishing and environmental deterioration. In response to this, the local communities all over Sabah and in other parts of the world – including Indonesia, Bangladesh and Malawi – developed traditional nature conservation practices to protect and fill fish stocks in their rivers.
In Sabah, these efforts finally developed into what is recognized today as Sabah-Tagal system, a co-management model of fishing that combines indigenous wisdom with modern ecological principles with the support of the fishing department.
Success of the daily system in Kiulu.
The origins of Bongon and Baner in Sabah
The practice of Tagal/Bombon-Lered from the language of the Kadazan-Dusun, which means “prohibition”-stem from Sabah's indigenous communities. In Kota Belud and Kiulu they call it a bomb and pen ampang, they call it it day. The system includes a joint fishing ban in named river sections, which enables fish populations to regenerate. The term Bombon/Tagal meant the ban on fishing within the river sections.
Jephrin Wong started the Sabah Fisherie Department Model Tagal Experiment in 2002.
But in 2004 in Sabah First Tagal Seminar, the term Bombon and Tagal was officially renamed the Sabah -Tagal system.
The first efforts to implement the BOMBON system can be traced back to the 1980s. In Kota Belud, the boss HJ Razali Goroh from Kampung Taginambur in 1988 headed in response to declining fish stocks. Similar efforts of Rampas bin Gumai were initiated in Kiulu in the 1980s in the 1980s, with the system in 1998 in the 1998 Malangang Baru, painting Lama, Tambung and Namadan was officially recalled and launched by the then Chief Minister Tan Bernard Dompok, the former district commissioner Tuaran Ariffin Gadait.
In Penampang, the initiative was introduced in 1997 by Vitalis Galasun, a member of the NOTORUSS Village Development and Security Committee and a former fishing department employee. These pioneering efforts laid the foundation for a wider, more structured approach for river protection.
According to the traditional system, the community was enforced strict rules. Fishing was only allowed once a year, and violations of punishments (known locally as a segit) that were able to finance fines or cattle breeding. The harvested fish were distributed under registered parishioners.
Support of the government and scientific innovation by Sabah fishing department
After Jephrin Wong had been appointed head of the domestic Fisherie Division of the Sabah Fisheries department, Jephrin Wong met with HJ Razali Goroh in 2001, who suggested the bomb system with institutional and material support. In 2002 the Sabah fishing department began to apply small funds from the state to finance the company, research and the development of the Tagal system project.
In January 2002, Jephrin founded a model Tagal on the Babagon Freshwater Fishwater Fishwater Fisheries Station of the Fisheries Department, where scientific studies on the behavior of fish, the spawning cycle and the river ecosystems were carried out in order to obtain information to improve the flaring system first -hand.
Until 2004, the population of this valuable Art Mahseer (Pelian or Kelah) had recovered, which shows the effectiveness of the mix of traditional preservation using scientific methods. Research also confirmed that the endangered Mahseer could be tamed and people could see what a significant potential for ecotourism shows
Department of Sabah -Fischerei Eint to the Tagal zoning system presented in 2004
Jephrin recognized the need for a broader implementation and introduced the daily zoning system. The Sabah fishing department launched the world's first Tagal zoning system at the end of 2004. This new model divided the river sections into three different zones:
Red zone: Strictly protected for preservation, ecotourism and fishing fishing yellow zone: seasonal fishing under regulated supervision
Green zone: All year round fishing with traditional and environmentally friendly practices
This zoning system was introduced to Babagon for the first time and quickly turned out to be effective what the local communities benefited from maintaining and sustainable income.
The introduction of the zoning system (red, yellow and green) at Tagal locations has triggered large attractions in Malaysia and other countries.
The official introduction of the Sabah -Tagalystem by Sabah Minister for Agriculture, Fishing and Food Industry in 2004
The first Tagal seminar took place on November 25, 2004, led by the Sabah fishing department and by Datuk Rahim Ismail, then Minister of Agriculture and Food Industry. The term “Sabah -tagal system” was officially adopted, with over 40 heads of the day -to -day system and government representative being present.
Top River Fish Anglers and experts from Kuala Lumpur and Singapore as well as editors of the Fishing Magazine made their comments on the potential of catching fishing and fishing on Sabah -tagal system.
Subsequently, an Outreach event took place in Babagon, in which NGOs took part under the direction of Datuk Wilfred Lingham, the former constant secretary of the Ministry of Tourism and the Environment. Renowned figures of the Angling community, including the editor of the Aneigling Magazine (Kuala Lumpur) and Pak Amin of Fly Fishing Singapore, were also invited, which was invited to popularize catch and release practices and fish spa tourism in the popularization of the popularization of the faculty and fish spa tourism.
Sabah domestic fisheries and aquaculture inactment 2003
The Tagal system (Community Fisherie Management Zone) was installed in the Sabah domestic Fisheries and Aquaculture Inactment in 2003 to put it under the jurisdiction of the Sabah fishing department
Milestones and expansion of the Sabah -Day system
2004: Penampang was the first district to implement the modern Tagal system in Zoning and pioneering work on the fishing of catch and release.
2006: Tagal Luanti in Ranau solved pioneer for eco-tourism activities such as fish pas and fish feeding companies.
2005-2007: permanent system was expanded to Sarawak in 2005 and was waiting for Sarawak in 2007
2009-2011: The Tagal system was expanded to marine environments, including artificial reef protection in Kuala Penyu 2009 and Sea cucumber habitats on Jambongan Island in 2011.
Remarkable knowledge about the success of the daily system:
Sabah on the most outstanding environmentally friendly project price in 2005 to Sabah Fisheries Department from the Sabah Ministry of Tourism & Environment.
Tagal system Luanti, Ranau won the River Care Award in 2006 with the help of the Sabah Fisheries department.
River Care Award 2006 to Tagal Luanti from Global Environment Center, Kuala Lumpur.
Special service prize to the Sabah Fisheries Department in 2009 by Sabah's Prime Minister.
Economic and cultural effects
The Tagal system has become an important source for sustainable river fish and income for rural communities.
The local community can carry out ecotourism activities in order to create new sources of income in the red zone and to harvest more fish (in the yellow zone) during seasonal fishing and in the green zone and to fish through sustainable fishing all year round.
From 2005, the sights of Babagon and Penampang began to attract both local and international anglers in 2005 and achieved income from management services, entry fees, etc.
In 2006, Tagal Luanti officially started his fish spa and fish feeding company in Ranau. During a visit on November 19, 2006 of 20 leading officers of the Putrajaya Fisheries department under the direction of Dr. Sukarno Wagiman (director of nature conservation) were ready to be the first paid visitors. This marked the formal birth of day -to -day ecotourism in Sabah and Malaysia. From 2007, many other tagals in Sabah and Sarawak follow.
Jephrin Wong took part in the first day in Sarawak. It took place on August 12, 2005 in Lawas.
From local traditional to the national model TAGAL system
By 2025, the number of day alleys in Sabah had grown from a little more than 40 in 2002 to 642 in 23 districts, in which, according to Sabah Fisherie's department, more than 232 rivers was involved. The success of the Sabah model inspired other Malaysian states. Sarawak took over the system in August 2005, followed by Pahang in 2007.
According to Sarawak Agriculture Department, Sarawak has more than 140 active Tagal websites from 2024.
The main difference between the old and modern daily system lies in structure and economic viability. The traditional approach only enabled an annual harvest without tourism component. Other districts and other states in Malaysia do not want to accept the old Tagal system. The modern Tagal system introduced the zoning and made the preservation of economically attractive and sustainable. A win-win situation for everyone involved ..
A model for the world
The Sabah -tagal system was recognized as a pioneer example for a successful fishing -co management system. It shows how indigenous knowledge, if they are supported by government policy and scientific research, can become an instrument for sustainable development.
The system praised high -ranking personalities, including the former Prime Minister, who praised Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, who praised her success during a national exhibition in 2006.
In summary, a local nature conservation tradition has developed into a dynamic and sustainable fishing management model – one that restores rivers, enables communities and inspired the world.
We say very much in the pioneers: HJ Razali Goroh, Rampas Gumpai and Vitalis Galasun and Credit should be admitted to the Sabah Fisheries department under the direction of Jephrin Wong for the introduction of zonings (red, yellow and green) in 2004.