I received a notification from our Facebook business page; it was a reminder that we haven’t posted in awhile and that we should let everyone know what we have been up to… so here I am, taking some time away from our excitingly busy schedule for a quick update.
TOURS
Our tours is still keeping us busy over the weekends! We have added new locations and experiences for the whole family and continue to enjoy our weekends fishing with amazing families in Malaysia as well as tourists. There are times we lose track of our enquiries, as we are a small team, but we still try our best to get back to everyone as soon a we can. A glitch in our system last month saw almost 70 enquiries unanswered, but the recovery resulted in more trips with amazing families. We thank everyone for being patient with us and continuing to trust our sessions as the number 1 fishing experience for the family in Malaysia.
Passports to Fishing (P2F)
This would have to be the larger bulk of what we do today, our P2F sessions are focused on homes and children in refugee camps which has been a humbling experience for our entire team. It still intrigues me how children love learning about the Ocean, about Sustainable Seafood and about caring for the fish ethically. It is always the children that gives us hope, that what we do, could somehow, even in a small way, make a positive change under the water. P2F sessions take place monthly and we target about 100 children a month, not as easy, but we try to reach as many children as we can.
IGFA
Our work for the IGFA continues with translation and supporting anyone with World Record Enquiries. It does come with its own set of challenges, and on a personal note, calls and whatsapp messages from skeptical anglers in Malaysia questioning our work- unfortunately, as much as they’re a disruption to the important work we chose to do, it is a culture we must break- and to do so, it requires a positive response. Having respect for each other and trust, is key in an industry where size (of fish) matters- the illusion of the one that got away growing in size every time the story is told, is sometimes the reality of chinese whispers amongst anglers that do not trust organisations. We are extremely delighted to hear of how many are now keen to know more and learn about the IGFA, and how many more are trying their hands at a world record. As a representative, it is my delight to point you in the right direction but we hope, soon enough, with the translated materials, many more anglers will be able to embark on their IGFA journey independently. Our work for the IGFA remains non-profit, in fact, we have taken it upon ourselves to pay for the shipping of world record applications this year, this is our way to show that we believe Malaysia can, and we are willing to assist in our own way to make that happen.
Insang (Malaysia’s first collection of fishing stories)
It has been such a wild journey with Insang. I remember celebrating when we got our place in Kinokuniya, and reading reviews online was something we took seriously. We did a book talk with an audience at the Kuala Lumpur International Book Fair this year thanks to the invitation of Benz Ali from Toko Buku Rakyat. Sharing our story has been nothing but thrilling- not quite as thrilling as fishing, however, exciting in its own way. The adventure has just begun, although, there were some bumps in our journey, we are now working on Insang 2, a product of the kind reviews and feedback of readers that gave us a chance.
Pasar Pancing & Macam Macam Market
Last year we held Malaysia’s very first Fishing Expo with a theme; the theme is clear in its name, Pasar, which means Market in Malay. We saw many talents, brands and communities in angling being built during the pandemic but not a platform that allowed them to shine, if anything, the industry fell apart due to differences and we felt it was necessary to bring it back and remind everyone how we can all grow stronger, together- at least, for the love of the sport. We know no better way to do it than to remove what was intimidating to a small business in the industry and created a space where your business size or skill, didn’t matter- what matters is how much you love the sport and wanted to be a part of the community. We put rules that broke standard formats of an Expo, removed Shell Schemes and restricted barriers between booths- it was just like an Asian Market. It was nostalgic, it allowed people to make new friends, explore new types of fishing and appreciate the talent we have in Malaysia.
Many who were accustomed to a typical Expo format needed to adjust, but we were not there to impress, or to find a standing in the angling industry; we were just there to provide a space to buy and sell, spend time as a family, and to love the sport again. Many find this intention, tough to grasp, but The Milkfish Lady remains true to being an ethically run company and to always forge friendships and good business relationships around.
Yes, this does mean that we invite every brand we know that has struck a chord, have a fan following and is important, to angling in Malaysia. If you did not see them in Pasar Pancing, it was perhaps because they could not make it then. This year, as we make Pasar Pancing bigger, better, refining what we have learnt from the past event and trying our best to improve the space; we hope, your favourite fishing brands will join us too- we understand, it is important to you.
Keeping to ensuring what we do remains family-friendly, we tried incorporating Macam-Macam Market into our expo, an extension that is for the children and anyone else who is not an angler in the family; from coffee to fashion, to books, to supplements, massage, perfume, etc; we were delighted to find out that most of our booths for Macam-Macam Market and F&B sold out their products by the end of the expo. This year, we have extended more booths and included a workshop area to keep everyone entertained, under one roof.
Pasar Pancing 2022 saw more than 7000 visitors. This year, we are just as nervous and we still, try our very best to better what we did last year, to give you a wholesome experience in Pasar Pancing 2023.
If you would like to be a part of Pasar Pancing or Macam-Macam Market 2023, you may drop us an email at : hello@themilkfishlady.com or whatsapp our business line at +60127230127.
But…why no social media update?
Frankly, we take pride in doing good, important work for the angling industry in Malaysia; for every aspect of our company, we strive to be our best and we are, our only competitors- we challenge ourselves every time to be better than what we were the day before. Unfortunately, a lot of the work requires time, effort, focus and dedication and we much rather focus on those areas, creating the impact, building the adventure and sharing the adrenaline with people, businesses and experiences that truly matter. Many speak of Conservation, but not many do the work. We do it not for recognition, but for the genuine love of the sport, people, and fish.
As we get closer to our event, social media presence is key, for the vendors joining us and for a successful event. You will see us more on social media, with updates and surprises, as we get closer to Pasar Pancing – The Fishing Expo 2023.
I hope to see you there!
Signing off,
Shamin Shaimah
The Milkfish Lady & Your Friendly IGFA Representative.
The Milkfish Lady Official Website 