Reefs likely to vanish if action not taken
Audrey Dermawan New Straits Times 11 Feb 12;
IPOH: THE Sembilan Islands, one of the last remaining significant coral reef area in west coast of Peninsular Malaysia, could 'vanish' if no efforts are taken to protect it.
Located some 20km from the coast of Perak (Lumut) and 15km south of Pulau Pangkor, the Sembilan Islands are currently facing a number of threats including damage by discarded fishing nets and land-based development.
The Sembilan Islands as the name suggests are a cluster of nine islands -- Pulau Agas, Pulau Payong, Pulau Nipis, Pulau Rumbia, Pulau Lalang, Pulau Saga, Pulau Buluh, Black Rock and White Rock.
The only structure on the uninhabited islands is a small rest area on Pulau Saga, constructed for the use of tourists and fishermen.
Reef Check Malaysia (RCM) general manager Julian Hyde said although a series of surveys conducted last month showed that the coral reefs were in 'fair' condition, they are in actual fact heavily impacted by a number of factors including development and shipping.
(RCM is part of the worldwide Reef Check network, working to conserve coral reefs.)
He also said the situation was further compounded by the absence of protected status for the islands.
The popularity of the islands, once a sought after destination for snorkelling, diving and recreational fishing, has declined as the quality of the coral reefs has dwindled.
"Continued development on Pulau Pangkor and the mainland nearby, if not well managed, will have serious implications for the future health of coral reefs around the islands, threatening their ecological value and economical potential.
"We recommend that the Sembilan Islands be gazetted as a Marine Protected Area ... this will show the world that Malaysia is serious when it comes to protecting its coral reefs," he said in an interview.
Hyde however said the current model in Malaysia for gazetting Marine Parks -- establishing a protected area two nautical miles from the shore at the lowest low tide, within which fishing, anchoring, collecting, extraction and construction are prohibited -- was not suitable for the Sembilan Islands for the following reasons:
The proximity of the islands -- the Sembilan Islands are a cluster of islands close to each other and the two nautical mile distance will mean that protected areas around each island will overlap one another. This will make it impossible for fishing vessels to travel around the islands without violating park rules, and will close off substantial parts of existing fishing grounds;
Vast area to patrol -- a two nautical mile barrier surrounding the Sembilan Islands will create an area too large for Marine Park officers to patrol effectively and enforcement will prove costly and time consuming;
Local compliance -- the Sembilan Islands have been an important commercial fishing ground for many generations of fisherman and a sudden 100 per cent restriction is likely to be ignored; and
Lack of suitable infrastructure -- there is no infrastructure in any of the Sembilan Islands to accommodate Marine Park officers. If officers are effectively to enforce Marine Park rules, they will need to be on the islands daily thus requiring accommodation and basic utilities.
"To overcome these drawbacks, we recommend adopting a more flexible approach which takes into account the needs of all local stakeholders.
"And one approach to the development of better coastal and marine policy and management is the concept of marine managed areas (MMA)."
A MMA is an area of ocean, or a combination of land and ocean, where all human activities are managed toward common goals.
Hyde said RCM therefore recommends the Sembilan Islands to designated as a MMA with a number of zones that could include:
Commercial fishing zones -- to allow current fisheries industry to continue operating, but with some restrictions on fishing areas to protect coral reefs and recreational areas;
Sport fishing zones -- to allow current small scale fishing to continue, but with restrictions on fishing area to protect coral reefs and recreational areas;
Recreational zones -- adjacent to beaches, to provide for tourism activities; and
No take zones -- areas in which no extraction activities are allowed.
These can also be areas in which reef rehabilitation activities are carried out.
Such a zoning system is expected to reduce immediate human activities on the coral reef areas.
"Key to the success of this approach is the participation from the local communities, government agencies, local tour operators, NGOs and universities."
Copies of the survey report are available on the Reef Check Malaysia website at www.reefcheck.org.my
Coral reefs surrounding the Sembilan Islands growing despite pollution and other odds
Ivan Loh The Star 14 Mar 12;
CORAL reefs, which are scarce in number at the Sembilan Islands, about 15km south of Pangkor Island, have the potential to regenerate.
Reef Check Malaysia (RCM) general manager Julian Hyde said surveys carried out at the islands last month, showed that corals appear to be growing, despite the damage caused by human activities, pollution and silt sedimentation.
“The reefs are considered to be in relatively good condition.
“Corals at the islands appear to be growing and reproducing well despite the muddy waters and limited sunlight,” Hyde said.
“The corals have also adapted to its surrounding by altering its feeding habits, with most of them extending their tentacles to catch food during the day,” he said, adding that its resilience has been increased.
He said the islands’ remoteness had also helped preserve the corals and marine life.
Hyde said large surface of rocky areas were noted at the seabed near the islands that were conducive for new growth through settlement of young corals.
“Young corals require hard, sturdy surfaces to settle and grow.
“There were numerous locations within and outside the surveyed area with coral growth,” he said, adding that the Sembilan Islands was one of the last remaining significant coral reef areas in Peninsular Malaysia’s west coast.
Hyde said a relatively high amount of rubble, indicating physical disturbance to the corals, had been noted during the survey.
“We found abandoned anchors and some discarded fishing nets at several locations.
“These are likely to cause significant damage to the reefs,” he said.
RCM, a non-organisation dedicated to the conservation of coral reefs, had in October last year begun a pilot project to increase the population of corals at Mentangor Island, near Pangkor.
RCM had transplanted a three-square-metre frame with corals on it onto the seabed near Mentangor and it proved to be a success, with a 100% survival rate of the corals.
Hyde suggested the Sembilan Islands, which consists of Pulau Agas, Pulau Payong, Pulau Nipis, Pulau Rumbia, Pulau Lalang, Pulau Saga, Pulau Buluh, Black Rock and White Rock, be put under protection and conserved as a marine-managed area.
“The move will not only protect the biodiversity of the islands’ reefs, but also revive its tourism industry.
Hyde said the islands used to be a popular tourism destination, for snorkelling and diving as well as recreational fishing
“The popularity has nose-dived as the quality of the reefs has declined, impacted by development of tourism facilities on Pangkor and industrial facilities on the mainland nearby, as well as shipping in the Straits of Malacca,” he said.
