Protect Coral Reefs in Malaysia

Reef Check Malaysia's team in Mersing, the 'Cintai Mersing' team has been up and about the past few weeks. Recently, our team conducted the annual Reef Check surveys in 10 sites around Kepulauan Besar. The surveys were carried out in partnership with Tengah Island Conservation, another NGO based in Mersing. The annual Reef Check surveys are part of RCM's efforts under 'EcoAction which is one of RCM's four pillars of conservation work. These surveys are carried out to assess the health of coral reefs across Malaysia, which include collecting data on the types of corals, fish and invertebrates found in the survey site, while also looking out for signs of damage or impact to the reefs. All the data collected will be analysed and will help inform any management decisions to be taken in those areas. 

Other than conducting the Reef Check surveys, the Cintai Mersing team also carried out an underwater clean-up at three islands around Mersing, once again in collaboration with Tengah Island Conservation. During the clean-up, 34kg of ghost nets were successfully removed, consisting of old ropes and monofilament fishing lines. These nets were found entangled on the coral reefs and appear to have been there for a long time. If left in the sea, these nets will pose a threat to marine life by causing entanglement of fish and other animals, as well as possibly smothering coral reefs when algae overgrow these nets. 

In addition, our team also conducted reef rehabilitation efforts in two sites to maintain the structures effectiveness in supporting coral growth. Regular maintenance and monitoring of our reef rehabilitation sites are necessary to ensure the corals are growing well and any threats are removed. 

Together, these efforts reflect our commitment to protecting and restoring Mersing’s reefs for the long term. By monitoring reef health, removing ghost nets, and maintaining rehabilitation sites, we are taking both scientific and practical action to safeguard marine ecosystems and the communities that depend on them. None of this would be possible without your support  - you've made our work in Mersing a reality. With your continued contribution, we can expand these efforts and ensure that future generations inherit thriving, resilient coral reefs.

Links:

• Reef Check Malaysia's work in Mersing group of islands

The Community Marine Conservation Groups (CMCGs) have been hard at work to protect the areas they live in. And if that’s not enough, they’re also learning from each other! Recently, the Selakan Marine Conservation Group (SMCG) visited the team in Mabul to share their skills and experience in community sea patrolling. SMCG has extensive experience in sea patrolling and have also been trained by Sabah Parks as Honorary Park Rangers.

Soon, Pemimpin Iklim Mabul (another CMCG) will begin their own sea patrols to deter illegal fishing around the island, working closely with the Village Head to report and prevent harmful activities.

During the training, they learned essential skills, including simulations of sea patrolling. In the practical part of the training, they encountered fishermen from the mainland conducting compressor diving (cyanide fishing). The team stepped in, explained how destructive this practice is to coral reefs, and the fishermen cooperated and left the area.

They also came across another boat harvesting rocks and live corals for construction. Again, the team engaged with them, shared why this is harmful and prohibited, and successfully persuaded them to stop.

These moments highlight why knowledge-sharing among CMCGs is so important. It empowers communities by equipping them with necessary knowledge and skills to act quickly and effectively to protect their reefs. We look forward to seeing how the CMCGs apply these new skills to protect their reefs and strengthen community-led conservation!