This being the International Year of the Reef, a group of volunteers is surveying the reefs on several islands in Malaysia under the Sustainable Island Programme.
Revathi Murugappan, The Star 24 May 08;
Time and time again, we read articles on the problems plaguing our diverse marine life – overfishing, global warming, blasting, unchecked tourism, pollution, etc. Coral reefs around the world have been in crisis for some time now.
But is anyone listening?
The statistics are alarming with 30% of the world’s coral reefs severely threatened, 15% lost over the last decade, and many fish stocks becoming extinct. The first step towards a solution?
Reef check surveys.
Three organisations have teamed up to run the Sustainable Island Programme (SIP), which will see reef checks and island assessments being carried out to gauge reef health around the islands of Redang, Tenggol, Tioman and Perhentian. It’s a collaborative project between Sime Plantations, Reef Check Malaysia and Wild Asia.
Reef check is a way of measuring the health of coral reefs by collecting data on selected fish, invertebrates and corals. The surveys are conducted by a group of volunteers who have been certified EcoDivers.
The survey is pretty simple. It entails the EcoDivers swimming along a 100m transect line and counting the relevant organisms along the way as well as noting down the damage to the reef caused by bleaching, anchoring, destructive fishing and pollution.
In 2007, Reef Check Malaysia conducted 33 surveys covering 21 sites around four East Coast islands in Peninsula Malaysia and discovered that they were facing various pressures.
“Although some survey work was carried out in previous years, there is insufficient data to accurately identify trends in the status of coral reefs on these islands,” said Wild Asia’s sustainability advisor Shafinaz Suhaimi.
Since the health of coral reefs is an indicator of the state of our oceans, the SIP aims to combine reef survey data with land data to come up with a comprehensive action plan that can be undertaken by government authorities, scientists and conservationists.
In addition, there will be workshops by Wild Asia together with the resorts and dive operators to introduce the concept of Responsible Tourism.
Originally, Shafinaz said, they wanted to certify up to 40 recreational divers and marine scientists as EcoDivers but so far, only 26 have been given the thumbs-up. The majority of them come from Malaysian Underwater, the largest local online diving community.
“It’s purely on a voluntary basis as the certification fee is RM750. But, once they are certified, the carrot we dangle is for them to participate in the SIP surveys and have their dives and accommodation fully sponsored.
“That way, they get to dive for free and do their bit for the environment,” she added.
Getting involved is easy. All you need is a valid scuba diving licence, good buoyancy skills, a keen eye for detail and a passion for the environment.
Over the past few weeks, the certification process, which included six dives and identification tests, saw many diving enthusiasts, from beginners to dive masters, taking part in the 3D/2N weekend courses.
In Pulau Tioman last month, 11 divers enrolled and emerged enlightened at the end of it. One of them was engineer Goh Shu Wei, 37, who has been diving for the last two years. He said he found the certification process educational.
“I’m also a marine aquarist – as in I used to buy marine life from others and put it in my tank in the office. Before, I used to go near the reef just to see how I could redesign it for my hobby and, sometimes, I ended up destroying the reef but not intentionally.”
When his fish tank cracked one day, Goh took it as an omen to stop his hobby. He decided it was “pay back” time and signed up to become an EcoDiver.
“I now realise how important it is not to damage corals and to ensure that they are there for future generations to see. I’d like to participate in as many surveys as possible,” he said.
For freelance photographer Emran Taib, 31, the course was an eye-opener as he now viewed things differently and can tell straightaway if a reef is healthy or not.
“However, I need to improve on my buoyancy. I have no problems in mid-water but to hover over a reef is a humbling experience!” he said, shaking his head.
Most participants felt buoyancy was an issue and something they needed to work on. Many of the divers noticed the dearth of invertebrates like the banded coral shrimp and lobsters, while there was an abundance of urchins, signifying excessive pollution.
Civil servant Mohd Fairul Zahari, 29, felt the crash course was gruelling as he found it difficult to digest some of the information. He opined that all divers should go for the basic course so that they would be more aware of the threats to marine life.
CIMB financial executive Ummi Haslinda Mohd Rosli, 29, felt more practical sessions could have been incorporated to make the species identification portion easier.
She said, “I signed up to increase my awareness on the subject and learn different terminology. When I go for my next leisure dive, I’ll look out for the groupers!”
After attending the course, student Mohd Najib Zulkifli, 22, was singing praises.
“As a student, I have no money so I go for the best deal. Here, I get a two-in-one – the certification and the dive trip. And, I have finally figured out how the ecosystem works!” laughed the Business Information Systems major.
Now that the EcoDiver certification process has been completed for the year, the actual reef surveys will begin next week. Six surveys are being planned, and once the data is collected, it will be compiled into an annual report, together with other reef check surveys around the world.
Only then will we know the true health of the world’s reefs and find ways to nurse them back to health.
If you’re interested in becoming an EcoDiver, contact Reef Check Malaysia at wecare@reefcheck.org.my or surf for more information at www.reefcheck.org
