WWF lauds move to close Malaysian dive destinations to protect bleached coral

Rachael Kam The Star 23 Jul 10;

PETALING JAYA: Pre-emptive measures like closing the affected dive destinations to reduce stress to the bleached corals is important, said WWF-Malaysia.

It said the closure of affected dive sites was a temporary measure to minimise further stress to the bleached corals.
“However, it is important to take pre-emptive measures against events like this by putting more resources into marine protected area management, preventing coastal and marine pollution and promoting sustainable fisheries,” it said in a statement Friday.

WWF-Malaysia hoped that the Government would adopt and implement Ecosystem Based Management of Fisheries and strengthen Marine Protected Area Management and Integration.

On Thursday, The Star reported that several dive sites in Tioman and Redang were temporarily marked off-limits to divers until the end of October.

These two of the top dive destinations and a marine park, Pulau Payar in Kedah, are affected by coral bleaching, a phenomenon caused by global warming that has increased sea water temperature by 2°C to between 28°C and 29°C.

Marine Park Department director-general Abd Jamal Mydin said this was done to protect the coral reefs that had turned white.

He said that the department would continue to monitor popular dive sites affected by coral bleaching.

WWF-Malaysia said coral bleaching occurred when coral reefs were stressed.

“At a local scale, the stress may include disease, pollution, sedimentation, cyanide fishing, changes in salinity and temperature, and storms,” it said.

The trust said mass bleaching events like what Malaysia was currently experiencing primarily due to increased sea temperatures.

Temperature increased of one to two degree celsius above the long term average maximum could already triggered mass bleaching.

However, WWF-Malaysia said corals could recover from bleaching events, but they must have support for factors that promote coral resiliency.

Studies shown that the recovery success of healthy coral systems was much higher than the degraded ones.

Good water quality, high coral cover and an abundant, and diverse community of herbivorous fishes are important conditions to promote coral recovery, said WWF-Malaysia.

Coral lifeline
The Star 22 Jul 10;

ALOR SETAR: Several dive sites at marine parks in the country including the top diving destinations in the world — Pulau Tioman in Pahang and Pulau Redang in Te­­rengganu – have been temporarily closed due to coral bleaching.

Divers and snorkellers are barred from the dive sites until the end of October to protect the corals which have turned white due to global warming.

Each year about 500,000 tourists, including foreigners, visit each of the marine parks.

Environmental groups have lauded the move to close the dive sites temporarily, saying there is a need to allow the country’s corals to recover.

They also cautioned that human activities and current climatic condition would have an impact on the reefs.

Marine parks closure due to coral bleaching not a bane to tourism
The Star 24 Jul 10;

KUALA TERENGGANU: The closure of five marine parks in Terengganu will not affect the state’s tourism industry.

Terengganu Tourism Malaysia director Ahmad Fathil Abdul Ghani said only several diving spots were closed.

He said there were 20 dive sites in Pulau Redang and another 30 in Pulau Perhentian which were popular among local and foreign divers.

Ahmad Fathil added that not all tourists were indulgent in diving and snorkelling activities because there were those who prefer the beauty and serenity of beaches on the islands, especially those holidaying with families.

Ahmad Fathil said this when he commented on the temporary closure of nine areas gazetted as marine parks and three other islands nationwide, including in Terengganu.

The closure, from July 2 to Oct 31, was due to coral bleaching, a phenomenon caused by global warming.

Pulau Redang (Teluk Bakau), Pulau Tenggol (Teluk Air Tawar), Pulau Perhentian Besar (Teluk Dalam) and Pulau Perhentian Besar (Tanjung Tukas Darat and Tanjung Tukas Laut) were the spots affected in Terengganu.

Ahmad Fathil said the damage to the corals was not entirely caused by diving and snorkelling activities as perceived by some.

“Coral bleaching is also caused by an increase in water temperatures, in this case by two degrees Celsius, to between 28 and 29 degrees Celsius,” he added.

He welcomed the temporary closure, saying it could help restore corals in the affected areas. – Bernama.