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This paper investigates the effect of heat treatment on Semantan bamboo (Gigantochloa scortechinii) with emphasis given to their properties and durability. Matured four-year-old bamboo culms were harvested and subjected to high temperature condition using palm oil as a heating media. Two groups of samples, green and air-dried, were used. The temperatures applied were 140 • C, 180 • C and 220 • C, with exposure duration of 30, 60 and 90 min, respectively. The results of the investigations show that the heat-treated bamboos retained most of their original physical and strength properties after undergoing the heat treatment. Green or air-dried bamboo culms can be dried to an MC of 6-7% within 2-3 h of treatment. The basic densities of bamboo were found to improve slightly by the heat application. The overall strengths properties of the heat-treated bamboo were found to decrease. The modulus of elasticity in the bending strengths was reduced between 2 and 33% in the green-and 6-9% in the air-dried conditions. For the modulus of rupture in the bending strengths, the value was reduced between 1 and 23% in green-and 4-16% in air-dried conditions. The compression strengths were reduced in the range between 2 and 3% in green-and 2-35% in air-dried conditions. The shear strengths were reduced in the range between 16 and 24% and 12-24% in in green-and air-dried conditions, respectively.

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The physical characteristics, anatomy and properties of managed G. scortechinii natural bamboo culms stands age 2 and 4 year-old were studied. The physical characteristics vary depending on aged and height along the culms. The cells wall thickness of both parenchyma and fibre were greater in the 4 year-old than in the 2 year-old culms. The increased in the cells wall thickness in parenchyma and fibres is part of by the maturing process in the bamboo culms. The frequency of vascular bundles is greater at the bottom and top portion than in the middle portion of both age-groups. There were no difference in vessel diameter between the 2 and 4 year-old culms at the middle of the culms wall thickness. The anatomical structure in bamboo has a very strong correlation with the moisture content and basic density. The basic density is higher in the 4 yearold culms than in the 2 year-old and increases from lower to upper intemodes showing that there is a maturation process going on between the two age-group relative to the two of tissue types.

Aquaculture industry has contributed 10% which equal to 1,400 metric ton of the overall fish production in Malaysia. It has undergone a transition stage from small scale family oriented business to large scale operations managed by corporate bodies. Currently, the cost of constructing the basic structure of a floating cage using plastic drums or other foreign materials which is considered as a non-environmental friendly is rather expensive. This also means that such business ventures would not be affordable by the rural community. With the introduction of bamboo as the material in constructing floating cages, cost could be reduced and maintenance should be made much easier. Rural community is expected to benefit from this cost-saving material by setting up aquaculture business through village cooperatives. This paper outlines the concept of using bamboo as the main building material in the fishing industry. The cost and benefit of substituting foreign material with bamboo is examined too.