Tan Cheng Li The Star 6 Mar 12;
The murky waters off Pulau Sembilan hide a wondrous seascape.
OFF the coast of Lumut in Perak lies a cluster of nine islands. Pulau Sembilan, as they are called, are uninhabited as there is no fresh water supply, but fishermen have long stopped there for shelter when the sea gets rough. The site also draws many recreational fishermen but what is unknown to most is that lurking in the depths is a marine realm which cries for attention and care.
An underwater survey in January by the non-profit Reef Check Malaysia (RCM) found coral reefs off the islands to be fairly rich and diverse. There were even surprise finds of species not commonly sighted in West Coast reefs, such as the frogfish, seahorse and pipefish. The types of coral species even rival those found off the East Coast.
“The survey was to find what kind of biodiversity there is and whether the place is worth protecting, and it is,” says Aaron Tam, communications officer of RCM, which focuses on coral reef conservation and community education programmes, and is part of the worldwide Reef Check network. “Pulau Sembilan is the last bastion of coral reefs in the West Coast and its reefs are a lot better than those found in Pulau Pangkor. The reef condition is fair. One surprising thing is that we found organisms that are difficult to find in the West Coast.”
The team of six divers made 12 dives over four days in the rapid assessment of the nine islands (Agas, Payong, Nipis, Rumbia, Lalang, Saga, Buluh, Black Rock and White Rock) which are located some 20km from Lumut or 15km south of Pulau Pangkor.
The islands used to be visited by snorkellers and recreational divers but their appeal has waned in recent years as the reefs have lost their lustre, impacted by shipping in the Straits of Malacca, development of tourism facilities on Pangkor and industrial facilities on the mainland. The islands have no protected status; hence tourist and fishing pressure are not controlled or monitored.
Despite all the silt and pollutants pouring into the sea from Pangkor and the mainland, the Pulau Sembilan reefs remain in relatively good condition. The divers were astounded by what they saw underwater. The murky waters mask an interesting seascape of porites coral mounds, branching table corals and carpets of anemone.
“I’m amazed as the water visibility is low yet the coral cover is in the same state as in the East Coast where the water is a lot clearer,” says Kee Alfian Abdul Adzis, a reef ecologist at Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia.
The reefs are generally in “fair” condition, with average live coral cover (of both hard and soft corals) of 29% (the average for Malaysia in 2010 is 44%). The corals appear to be growing and reproducing well despite the turbid waters. The incidence of recently killed corals is low (0.44%), indicating few recent disturbances and a low abundance of coral predators.
Sewage runoff from the mainland and Pulau Pangkor does not appear to significantly affect the reefs, as seen from the low levels of algae (the growth of which is fuelled by nutrients from sewage).
Another positive observation is the fairly large areas of rocky substrate – this means there are sturdy surfaces for coral recruits to settle on and grow.
But the years of extensive fishing has certainly taken a toll on the marine environment. The divers spotted fish species commonly associated with healthy reefs – groupers, sweetlips and batfish – but the numbers were low and consisted mainly of juveniles.
Highly prized food fish such as barramundi cod, humphead wrasse and bumphead parrotfish were not seen. Commercially collected marine invertebrates such as lobsters and sea cucumbers were also missing from the reefs. The area is still being fished extensively; the divers saw many fish trawlers in the area.
The reef has also ended up as a dumping ground for man’s refuse – debris such as metal frames, batteries, glass bottles and even a toilet bowl, littered the reef. But nothing harms the reef more than “ghost nets” – discarded or lost fishing nets that end up smothering or entangling corals and marine animals. There were plenty of those in the sea.
“It is a very sad scene. Some nets cover huge porites corals which may be a 100 years old,” says Kee Alfian. The divers removed whatever nets they could in order to protect the corals.
RCM reckons there is enough marine wealth in the Pulau Sembilan reefs to warrant their protection. There are relatively high numbers of coral groups (19) and invertebrates (28 species, including flatworms, nudibranchs, molluscs and bivalves), as well as rare animals. Frogfish are more commonly seen in Sabah and very rarely in Peninsular Malaysia. Likewise, seahorses are usually found in seagrass beds but were seen in the reef in Pulau Sembilan.
According to RCM, Pulau Sembilan has one of the last significant areas of coral reef on the West Coast, and plays a role in connectivity between the islands in the north (Langkawi, Payar, Bidan, Songsong and Teloh in Kedah) and those in the south (Pangkor, Pangkor Laut, Giam and Mentagor in Perak, as well as Besar and Upeh in Malacca). This connectivity allows the movement of coral larvae and reef organisms along the Straits of Malacca.
Currently in the West Coast, only four small islands (the Payar, Lembu, Kaca and Segantang islands) within the Pulau Payar Marine Park off Kedah, are protected.
Diversity
For Kee Alfian, reefs in the Straits of Malacca are scientifically interesting as they are expected to host a genetically diverse mix of species, due to influences from the Indian Ocean. “Pulau Sembilan also provides an opportunity to study coral species which occur in two different ecosystems, the clear waters of the East Coast and the murky waters of the West Coast.”
He also points to the economic benefits: “If we protect the area, the reef will get better, and fish stocks can recover. The spill-over effects will benefit surrounding islands and reefs.
Now, locals say there is no more fish to catch. Without fisheries, the local economy will collapse. People must understand that protecting a part of the area will give benefits in the long run.”
With proper management, the aesthetic value of the reefs can be improved and the biodiversity, protected. This will ultimately draw snorkellers and divers there.
The RCM, however, does not advocate turning Pulau Sembilan into a marine park but into a “marine managed area”. Under current rules, marine parks are established in the area two nautical miles from shore, within which fishing, anchoring, collecting, extraction and construction are prohibited.
RCM finds this approach unsuitable for Pulau Sembilan as the proximity of the nine islands to each other will mean that the protected areas will overlap. 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. Also, the area has been a commercial fishing ground for many generations of fisherman and a sudden 100% restriction is likely to be ignored.
A marine managed area is a more flexible approach that takes into account the needs of local communities. It consists of a multi-use approach, with areas divided into zones of different uses: commercial fishing zones, sport fishing zones, recreational zones, and “no take” zones (for reef rehabilitation and conservation). Kee Alfian says establishing a marine managed area at Pulau Sembilan will also contribute to Malaysia’s commitment under the Convention on Biodiversity to protect 10% of its marine resources.
He adds that the importance of protection is further bolstered by proposed industrial developments in nearby Pangkor and the mainland, which if not well managed, can threaten the ecological value and economical potential of the Pulau Sembilan reefs.
Of concern are the proposed iron ore plant at Teluk Rubiah in Manjung, the LNG (liquefied natural gas) terminal at Lumut and tourism development at Teluk Segadas in Pangkor.
Tam says RCM intends to raise awareness on the survey findings and will share it with relevant agencies, including the Natural Resources and Environment Ministry and the Marine Parks Department.
“With protected status and given a few years, the reefs should return to a healthier state. They will be an asset to tourism, as the islands are not really that far away, only 30 to 45 minutes by speedboat from Pangkor or Lumut. And if the islands get protected status, any future development will have to be carried out carefully so as not to impact the reefs.”
