Sarawak reefs under stress due to environmental and human factors

Ng Ai Fern The Star 19 Sep 10;

KUCHING: The coral reefs near Miri and Similajau are suffering significant coral-bleaching due to environmental and human factors.

This was discovered by a group of eco-minded divers who have been monitoring the area voluntarily for the last two years and reported their findings to Sarawak Forestry Corporation (SFC).

SFC protected areas and biodiversity conservation general manager Wilfred Landong said various measures were recommended to tackle the bleaching but they could not be achieved overnight.

He believed that public awareness was crucial in any conservation effort along with enforcement and rehabilitation.

“Other than global warming, many factors contribute to coral-bleaching. It could be caused by destruction of habitats and pollution, which needs a long-term strategy to minimise the impact. Our conservation strategy is to get the public to assist us, thereby creating more awareness,” he said.

He said that several national parks in Sara­wak, namely Tanjung Datu, Talang-Satang, Similajau and Miri-Sibuti were gazetted for the purpose of marine conservation.

“Despite pressure from the tourism industry, we have no plans at the moment to open the place up for the public, either for scuba diving or other water sports activities,” he stressed.

Landong said this at the inaugural “Malaysia Day Reef Cleaning project” at Talang-Talang Besar Island on Friday. Ten volunteer divers participated in the project carried out by SFC.

Coral reefs in Sarawak can be found in patches from Tanjung Datu in the south to as far north as the Lucornia shoals.