There is a long and rich maritime heritage in the culture of almost every coastal village and town of the Peninsular Malaysia, known also as West Malaysia (formerly Malaya). Besides, seafaring has been an integral part of the coastal peoples of South East Asia for hundreds of years as evident by the still enduring traditional craft of boat building in several parts of Malaysia. The mangrove lined protected coastline and warm tropical currents in the blue offshore waters offer a rich variety of harvest which include shellfish such as clams and snails, crustaceans such as prawns and lobsters, and fish from snappers and groupers to large pelagics which are caught offshore. Many of these fishing villages are situated at the estuary and river delta mouths and while most have modernised, the boats, from simple perahus to estuary boats to offshore trawlers, are still made of traditional tropical hardwood that resist the ravages of seawater.
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