Best of our wild blogs: 10 Dec 17

10 Dec (Sun): Registration opens for St John's Islands walk on 7 Jan 2018 (Sun)
Celebrating Singapore Shores!

Short Morning Walk At Lower Peirce Reservoir (09 Dec 2017)
Beetles@SG BLOG

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Malaysia: Semporna leads the way in coral reef protection

AVILA GERALDINE New Straits Times 9 Dec 17;

KOTA KINABALU: Semporna is leading the way in adopting the Coral Bleaching Early Response Plan to protect its rich coral reef ecosystem.

Semporna district officer Dr Chacho Bulah recently launched the plan during the six-day Semporna Marine Eco Week 2017, which ended on Dec 2.

The plan aims to monitor coral bleaching and promote recovery. Assessment will be carried out
by Sabah Parks, Reef Check Malaysia, Scuba Junkie SEAS, Reef Dive Resort, Pom-Pom Island Resort, and World Wildlife Fund (WWF) Malaysia.

Chacho said to sustain Semporna’s tourism industry, the district’s coral ecosystem must be healthy and resilient to face climate change.

“Most foreigners I have spoken to only know Sipadan as one of the top five diving destinations in the world.

“As the gateway to Sipadan, Semporna has not been recognised as a centre of marine biodiversity in the Coral Triangle region.”

He said there was a need for strong commitment and cooperation between government agencies, tourism players, non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and local communities to conserve marine life and coral reefs.

“I am pleased to announce that Semporna is the first district in Sabah to launch a Coral Bleaching Early Response Plan,” he said, adding that the Semporna Priority Conservation Area had the largest coral reef coverage in Malaysia.

The conservation area, which is in the Coral Triangle, is the centre of marine biodiversity and provides ecosystem services to people in, and beyond the area.

Universiti Malaysia Sabah (UMS) reef ecologist Dr Zarinah Waheed said coral reefs were areas of high biodiversity, providing food and habitat to marine life.

“It protects shorelines from storms and wave surges. A healthy coral reef encourages tourism. It brings income to locals and has pharmaceutical potential.

“However, coral reefs worldwide are at risk from the impacts of climate change, an emerging threat to coral reef ecosystems. This change in climate can have detrimental effects on coral reefs, such as bleaching.”

In recognising the urgency to address climate change, WWF Malaysia organised the Semporna Marine Eco Week to empower players from different industries to take action to combat climate change together.

WWF Malaysia’s Marine Programme people and marine biodiversity manager Monique Sumampouw said increased sea temperatures led to higher coral reef mortality.

She said based on WWF Malaysia’s preliminary study between 2015 and last year, there was an average rise of 0.5°C in Semporna’s waters.

“Semporna’s Coral Bleaching Early Response Plan aims to strengthen the resilience of the coral reefs and sustain the future of Semporna’s tourism and marine resources.”

The Semporna Marine Eco Week was organised by Sabah Parks, UMS, Reef Check Malaysia, Scuba Junkie SEAS, Seaventures Dive Rig, Green Semporna and Semporna Community College.

The programme aimed to improve awareness about climate change, coral bleaching and the importance of marine conservation among dive operators, local communities and NGOs.


WWF Malaysia on mission to save coral reefs
stephen then The Star 9 Dec 17;

MIRI: WWF Malaysia has started an urgent project to save the coral reefs off the coastal shores of northern Borneo Island from the increasing risks of coral bleaching.

The environmental body found that pollution and climatic change are causing serious coral bleaching offshore Borneo and other states.

As such, WWF Malaysia is deploying volunteers to check on the health of coral reefs offshore Sabah and Sarawak.

WWF Malaysia Marine Diversity project manager Monique Sumampouw said yesterday that the first team of volunteers had gone to offshore Semporna to check on the corals on the seabed there that were experiencing bleaching.

“For example, here in northern Borneo waters, there is an urgent need to activate an early response plan to tackle these bleaching in the coral reefs on the seabed as these areas are important marine parks.

“Bleaching of coral reefs caused by climate changes and sea pollution as well as human activities, if left unchecked, will cause serious decline in population of marine animals.

She added that WWF Malaysia wanted to work with coastal and island resort operators, marine park officials, diving operators and tour agencies to tackle this issue.

“Coral reefs are very sensitive to environmental impact,” she said in an email to The Star.

She stressed that early measures could be taken to rescue corals affected by bleaching.

She explained that natives living on the coasts, fishermen and even tourists must be educated on the need to be cautious when carrying out activities in waters where coral reefs were found.

WWF Malaysia through its Reef Check Malaysia Unit is enlisting the help of the state marine authorities to help out in the effort to save the coral reefs in the respective states, she added.


Coral bleaching threatening reefs off northern Borneo
stephen then The Star 13 Dec 17;

WWF Malaysia has started an urgent project to save the coral reefs off the coastal shores of northern Borneo island from the increasing risks of coral bleaching.

The environmental body found that pollution and climatic change are causing serious coral bleaching offshore Borneo and other states.

WWF Malaysia Marine Diversity project manager Monique Sumampouw said the first team of volunteers had gone to offshore Semporna to check on the corals on the seabed there.

“WWF Malaysia has found evidences of increasing coral bleaching in the sea off the coastal shores in all parts of the country, especially in those areas where there are a lot of environmental impact.

“Bleaching of coral reefs caused by climate changes and sea pollution as well as human activities, if left unchecked, will cause serious decline in population of marine animals.”

She added that WWF Malaysia wanted to work with coastal and island resort operators, marine park officials, diving operators and tour agencies to tackle this issue.

She stressed that early measures could be taken to rescue corals affected by bleaching.

“People living on the coasts, fishermen and even tourists must be educated on the need to be cautious when carrying out activities in waters where coral reefs are found.

“Through its Reef Check Malaysia Unit, WWF Malaysia is enlisting the help of the state marine authorities to help save the coral reefs in the respective states,” added Sumampouw.

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Blue Planet II: What you can do to help save our oceans

From eating sustainably caught fish to cutting out single-use plastics, there is plenty we can do to look after ‘Our Blue Planet’
Josh Gabbatiss The Independent 9 Dec 17;

As Blue Planet II draws to a close, it has once again left viewers in awe of the marine world.

The final episode of the series – “Our Blue Planet” – focuses on the terrible impact that human society is having on the world’s oceans, from coral bleaching to albatrosses feeding their chicks plastic.

But it also has a message of hope. Though many of the environmental problems seem insurmountable, we as individuals can take action to help save our blue planet.

“Blue Planet brought the marvels of the oceans to people’s living rooms. But it also showed clearly the risks which threaten them,” said Dr Lyndsey Dodds, head of marine policy at WWF.

Perhaps the issue that has touched viewers most is ocean plastic pollution, which is accumulating in vast quantities and being eaten by animals.

This is an issue where people can take action and make a difference, according to Dr Dodds.

In terms of lifestyle, the most obvious changes are avoiding single-use plastics and ensuring we recycle effectively.

At the other end of the scale, Dr Dodds emphasised the importance of lobbying the Government and businesses.

This includes supporting the planned bottle deposit return scheme, and a possible tax on single-use plastic.

Last year, a 40 per cent drop in plastic bags found on beaches was linked to the 5p charge on bags in supermarkets, suggesting this kind of action has real-world positive outcomes.

“Obviously it’s the Treasury that will make the decision on [the plastic tax] but the more the public can get behind things like that, the more acceptable they will be,” she said.

Such a tax was floated by Chancellor Philip Hammond in his recent Budget speech, in which he also alluded to the impact of Blue Planet II and announced he wanted the UK to become “a world leader in tackling the scourge of plastic”.

“I think that was probably about the most positively received thing in the Budget, so I think they recognise it is capturing the public interest,” said Dr Dodds.

Another key way in which people can change how they impact marine ecosystems is through their dietary choices.

“We are not powerless,” said Toby Middleton, UK programme director at the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC). “We can all play our part by choosing to eat sustainably caught seafood.”

“We are really trying to get supermarkets and restaurants not to sell fish that we consider to be unsustainable, so people can make choices about the seafood they choose to eat, if they choose to eat it at all” agreed Richard Harrington, a marine biologist and head of communications at the Marine Conservation Society.

MSC provide labels to seafood products that they have verified as coming from sustainable fisheries.

“You don’t need to be a marine biologist to choose sustainable fish,” said Mr Middleton.

“Looking for the MSC label when you’re shopping or eating out gives you the assurance that where your fish comes from has been independently certified as sustainable and is fully traceable,” he said.

The threats to marine ecosystems are multifarious, and one of the best ways to shield them from harm is to establish official marine protected areas.

Human activities such as fishing and extraction of natural resources are restricted in these areas, allowing life there to flourish and even spill out into surrounding, non-protected regions.

“The UK has a wonderful array of marine life, and there aren’t all that many places where sea bed habitats and fisheries are well protected,” said Mr Harrington.

Environmentalists in the UK have pushed for the extension of the “Blue Belt”, a network of marine protected areas that will maximise the protection given to the nation’s marine ecosystems.

“There has been a process to get marine protected areas around our shores, which is quite definitely being slowed down by other government matters such as Brexit,” said Mr Harrington.

Again, the more the public understands and cares about these issues the more they will move up the political agenda.

Issues like climate change and ocean acidification seem so enormous that it’s difficult to see how we can have any real impact.

But the message coming from environmental groups and experts is the same as that espoused in Blue Planet II.

“Businesses and governments need to act, but so do all of us,” said Dr Dodds.

“The blue planet is something we can all enjoy, but we need to act now to make sure that some of the incredible wildlife seen in the show doesn’t become history.”

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