Protect Coral Reefs in Malaysia

Ghost nets contribute to ocean pollution, by causing extensive social, economic and environmental impacts. They trap and entangle marine life, besides also smothering and damaging important ecosystems such as coral reefs and seagrass beds.

Reef Check Malaysia’s teams on the islands have been receiving reports of ghost nets,and have been working hard to remove them from the marine environment before they cause extensive damage. In just the first quarter of 2024, our local group on Redang Island, the Redang Marine Conservation Group (RMCG) successfully removed approximately 140kg of ghost nets, all found near the village jetty! Removing these nets is no easy feat, especially if they are already tangled around coral reefs. This is what the RMCG team faced, when they spent more than 3 hours to carefully remove the nets so as to not break any corals in the process of removal. The nets collected were then given to the local youth of the island, who planned to recycle them into football goalposts nets.

There has been limited data on ghost nets in Malaysia, specifically from Tioman Island. RCM began training the local Tioman islanders in 2015, to locate and remove ghost nets from any reefs and beaches around the island. We also help set up a reporting hotline to gather information about ghost nets. From 2016 until 2022, we recorded a retrieval of 145 ghost nets, weighing more than 21 tonnes (21,000 kg) from around Tioman Island alone. Today, most of the retrieval work on the island is done by the Tioman Marine Conservation Group (TMCG), with the help of volunteers from the local dive shops.

Where do these nets come from? Despite the fact that Tioman Island is a Marine Protected Area (MPA), these nets actually are thrown away or left behind by fishermen who operate illegally inside the MPA. While fishing, these nets get caught in reefs and are sometimes torn in the process of removing them. The fishermen then opt for the easy way out which is to leave them behind, or even dispose of them since they are damaged and cannot be used again. These nets also find their way to Tioman Island, due to strong currents and monsoonal winds. If the fishing nets are left in the sea, they can continue to “catch” fish and other marine life such as sharks or turtles, which can end up dead.

Due to the extensive work done on ghost nets, our colleagues on Tioman Island, and a member of the Tioman Marine Conservation Group (TMCG) recently published a paper titled “Incidence of ghost nets in the Tioman Island Marine Park of Malaysia”. It details the amount of nets collected, where and when it is usually found, and suggests some recommendations to help deal with this issue. 

Links:

• Incidence of ghost nets in the Tioman Island Marine Park

Our team has been actively training and organising training sessions for various stakeholders, equipping them with new dive-related skills.

In the Mersing group of islands, we recently organised an Open Water Dive course for 6 representatives from the local community. All 6 are now certified SCUBA divers, bringing the total of local divers to 10! These islanders will now be able to gear up for advanced training in marine conservation and rehabilitation efforts, such as getting certified as EcoDivers.

EcoDivers are certified divers who then obtain an EcoDiver license, which enables them to carry out Reef Check surveys within the Indo Pacific region. The data collected during these surveys is used to assess the health of coral reefs. To be an EcoDiver, these divers need to have good buoyancy skills, and to have at least 25 logged dives, among other pre-requisites. During the course, they will learn how to identify fish, invertebrate and substrate (type of corals) as well as impact to reefs.

In Malaysia, Reef Check Malaysia (RCM) conducts these annual surveys in more than 200 sites across Malaysia. Our EcoDivers are volunteer divers, and we're glad to have the local community we work with showing interest and coming on board with our efforts. Our survey data is published as a report every year, made available on our website.

Besides the Open Water Dive course, our colleagues from RCM conducted an Eco-Diver Training with the local communities from Kg. Tajau Laut and Kg. Malubang, Kudat. Organized by Sabah Parks, this training aims to empower divers from the two villages to participate in reef conservation efforts and monitor the health of their marine ecosystems. We’ve conducted similar trainings for other local community members from other islands, and these representatives were able to join us for activities such as reef rehabilitation and Reef Check surveys.

Other than that, RCM also carried out a Coral Bleaching Monitoring Training with representatives from Sabah Parks as well as the Borneo Marine Research Institute (BMRI) from Universiti Malaysia Sabah. This training was held in response to the NOAA Coral Reef Watch Satellite Bleaching Alert. Sessions included a detailed look at bleaching as well as understanding of the coral bleaching watch protocol, to consistently monitor coral reefs affected by the rising water temperature.

Collaboration with organizations like Sabah Parks and the BMRI suggests a comprehensive approach involving research, conservation, and management of coral reef ecosystems in the region. Meanwhile, participation and enthusiasm shown by the local islanders and communities encourage us to keep working alongside them, empowering them to be guardians of the precious ecosystems at their doorstep.