Protect Coral Reefs in Malaysia

A total of 12 youths from the Larapan Island, located off Sabah’s east coast Semporna district, underwent an "EcoDiver" training course with Reef Check Malaysia (RCM) to gain knowledge in reef management and marine conservation. Now certified as EcoDivers, their duties involve monitoring the coral reefs and conducting surveys to gain insight into the health of the local reefs, all done using the Reef Check survey method. 

Marine conservation, especially coral reef monitoring, has been the domain of marine biologists and researchers. As such, local communities were disengaged and uninformed about the riches of their coastal environments. This training aimed to equip the local with skills and knowledge to monitor their own reefs and be aware of its condition. 

“When I began working with the youth in Larapan Island, I noticed their unwavering passion to gain a deeper understanding of the marine ecosystem. After extensive training and mentoring, they are more dedicated to protecting their island’s treasures,” said Adzmin Fatta, RCM Programme Manager. 

A remarkable achievement stemming from the collaboration between the Larapan youth, Universiti Malaysia Sabah and another NGO, the Green Semporna, is the identification of 211 hard coral species – 13 of which are newly added to the list of Sabah coral species. This remarkable record constitutes 53% of the 397 reef-building coral species found along the east coast of Sabah.

Adzmin hoped the youth would continue to learn and inspire others to sustainably manage the island. “When youth are provided with the right support and resources, they can mobilise impactful action on the ground within their community. This is what we aspire to see, and this is what we are witnessing now in Larapan,” he added.

Links:

• Local youth in Malaysia guard coral reefs
• Bright future for island's reefs, thanks to local youth