Social Marketing Techniques to Help End Fish Bombing

WWF Malaysia 18 Aug 09;

Kudat, 18 August 2009: The District Office of Banggi, RARE Pride and WWF-Malaysia successfully launched an Anti-Fish Bombing and Cyanide Fishing Campaign in Karakit, Banggi last Saturday (15 August 2009).

The campaign uses an innovative method of social marketing to change the behaviour of people to reduce fish-bombing and the use of cyanide, which are destructive fishing methods that threaten coral reefs, other marine life and the environment.

The year-long campaign will involve the participation of seven communities within the proposed Tun Mustapha Park; namely Kampung Sibogo, Kampung Perpaduan, Kampung Singgahmata, Kampung Maliangin and Kampung Karakit of Banggi; Kampung Berungus of Pitas; and Kampung Tanjung Kapur of Kudat.

“Support from communities, enforcement agencies and the general public is needed for the success of this campaign to reduce and ultimately stop fish bombing and cyanide fishing practices in the proposed Tun Mustapha Park,” said Encik Abdan Abdul Majid, Pemimpin Kemajuan Rakyat of Banggi in representing the Wakil Rakyat of Banggi to launch the campaign. “Maliangin and Berungus are role model communities that are already supporting the campaign to combat fish bombing and cyanide fishing, and they should be emulated”. Encik Abdan also stressed the important role played by a Ketua Kampung in leading a good example and ensuring that fish bomb and cyanide is not used in any kampung.

The event also marked the start of a three-day Reef Check Training in Karakit and nearby Maliangin Island right after the campaign launch. In collaboration with Reef Check Malaysia, WWF-Malaysia is conducting the training to build the capacity of local communities to monitor the status of coral reefs around their islands. Apart from monitoring and reporting destructive fishing methods, the communities will: 1) monitor the health of reefs to better understand the role of reefs in sustaining fish and marine habitat, and 2) participate directly in managing their coral reefs and marine environment.

“Active community participation in the management of marine resource is the foundation for the implementation of collaborative management. This is the key management approach recommended for the proposed Tun Mustapha Park,” said Dr Rahimatsah Amat, Chief Technical Officer of WWF-Malaysia.

Move to check destructive fishing
Jaswinder Kaur, New Straits Times 20 Aug 09;

KUDAT: Seven communities at the proposed Tun Mustapha Marine Park in northern Sabah are taking part in a year-long campaign to teach them about the dangers of fish bombing and cyanide fishing.

The campaign aims to change the way villagers relate to nature by explaining how destructive fishing threatens coral reefs, fish stocks and the environment.

The Anti-Fish Bombing and Cyanide Fishing Campaign in Pulau Banggi is being carried out by the Banggi district office, World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF)-Malaysia and conservation group Rare Pride.

Rare Pride provides training to communities on biodiversity conservation.

Pulau Banggi people's development leader Abdan Abdul Majid said cutting down on and eventually stopping destructive fishing needed the support of communities and enforcement agencies.

"Village heads must also play a role in making sure fish bombs and cyanide are no longer used," he said at the launch of the campaign during the weekend.

He said two villages -- Maliangin and Berungus -- are role models, as fishermen there are already supporting past efforts to stop fish bombing.

WWF-Malaysia chief technical officer for the Borneo programme Dr Rahimatsah Amat said active community participation in caring for marine resources is the foundation of the collaborative management of the proposed Tun Mustapha Marine Park.

The launch of the campaign also saw the start of a three-day Reef Check Training programme by Reef Check Malaysia and WWF-Malaysia to get local residents to monitor the condition of coral reefs.