Protect Myanmar's marine resources from being pillaged to point of no return

Aung San Suu Kyi’s new government must safeguard the ocean from illegal fishing that has depleted stocks by 70-90% and is killing endangered sea turtles and dugongs
Colin Poole The Guardian 20 May 16;

As Aung San Suu Kyi’s National League for Democracy (NLD) engaged in a historic transfer of power in the Myanmar capital of Naypyidaw in March, my Burmese colleagues and I stood on a deserted beach 170 miles to the southwest, near Gwa on the Rakhine coast. We were speaking to local fishermen about their livelihoods and hearing about the unfortunate death of a young dugong – southeast Asia’s cousin of the manatee.

To the naked eye, the blue sea and miles of white sand with no development or people in sight were a vision of paradise. And yet, as we learned, below the surface things were far from idyllic. The young dugong that accidentally drowned in a fishing net was just one symptom of another tragedy and challenge unfolding in this country – one that, while nearly unnoticed, could have major implications for the future of millions of rural people.

Literally out of sight, the country’s marine resources have been pillaged almost to the point of no return. Research data released in February of this year by the Norwegian government demonstrated a decline in Myanmar’s oceanic and coastal fish stocks of between 70-90% since the late 1980’s.

The previous day, I had listened to U Myint Aung, the leader of a local community conservation group set up to protect nesting sea turtles, describing the decline in adult turtles now successfully returning to his beach. At the current rate he feared none would come back next year.

The turtle deaths appear to result primarily from a growing recent demand for a large marine fish called the croaker. Their swim-bladders are now such a sought-after delicacy in parts of China that individual fish can be worth tens of thousands of dollars. Not surprisingly, a targeted fishery has developed in response, but the nets used in the process entangle other species such as sea turtles and dugongs.

U Myint Aung himself had ceased working as a coastal fisherman when catches declined to the point where he could no longer make a living. Instead he ekes out a living from farming peanuts on the sandy soil behind the beach during the rainy season and devotes the rest of his time to protecting the remaining turtles.

Such tragic stories were commonplace. Poorly governed marine waters had led to the arrival of larger industrial vessels both from other areas of Myanmar and neighboring countries. Use of illegal fishing gear had grown, as had even cruder methods like cyanide poisoning to access anything of remaining value.

But the status of marine fisheries isn’t the only thing significantly changing on Myanmar’s coast. Aside from a few tourists, the only other foreign visitors we ran into worked with the offshore gas industry. In the last 18 months multiple licenses for offshore gas blocks have been issued to a variety of western companies including Shell, Chevron, Woodside, and Statoil, among others.

These investments will alter the future of Myanmar’s ocean waters and economy forever. Yet opportunities exist for such global companies to work with both Aung San Suu Kyi’s new government and coastal communities to promote a very different future for Myanmar’s marine resources.

Precedents for such approaches exist. Perhaps one of the best is in Gabon, where in 2013 President Ali Bongo created the ‘Gabon Bleu’ initiative. Gabon’s Agence Nationale des Parcs Nationaux works in partnership with a number of major international oil and gas companies and the Wildlife Conservation Society to improve management of marine resources as a key pillar of the country’s development strategy.

This has resulted in the creation of 10 marine parks covering more than 18,000 square miles and encompassing about 23% of Gabon’s Exclusive Economic Zone. New community fishery zones promote local livelihoods based on sustainable fisheries management as well as designating areas exclusively for community or industrial fisheries.

In Myanmar similar planning approaches and partnerships could safeguard the ocean against illegal fishing and foreign industrial vessels. Local networks of no-take marine reserves have been proven to work around the world, and could include areas where fisheries are excluded for safety reasons around gas infrastructure.

Such initiatives could relatively quickly encourage the recovery of fish stocks while protecting endangered species like sea turtles, dugongs, and dolphins.

Myanmar’s new government faces a myriad of challenges, but if it wishes to develop the economy while increasing livelihood options for millions of rural people, it must create solutions for the thus far hidden problems of the country’s oceans.

Finding answers to this particular challenge could be one of the NLD’s early win-wins. If successful, U Myint Aung and his team could look to protecting more – not fewer – sea turtles returning to Rakhine’s beaches every year. And perhaps future generations in his village, and others along the coastline we visited, could look back to the sea again with hopes for a brighter blue future.

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Humans damaging the environment faster than it can recover, UN finds

Radical action is needed to combat increasing rate of environmental damage to water sources, land, biodiversity and marine life, report shows
Fiona Harvey The Guardian 19 May 16;

Degradation of the world’s natural resources by humans is rapidly outpacing the planet’s ability to absorb the damage, meaning the rate of deterioration is increasing globally, the most comprehensive environmental study ever undertaken by the UN has found.

The study, which involved 1,203 scientists, hundreds of scientific institutions and more than 160 governments brought together by the UN Environment Programme (UNEP), concludes that without radical action the level of prosperity that millions of people in the developed world count on will be impossible to maintain or extend to poorer countries.

Water scarcity is the scourge of some of the poorest regions on Earth, the study found, leaving developing countries increasingly unable to feed themselves, and causing hardship for millions of people. There appears little prospect of this dire situation being remedied, according to the UN, without radical action being taken.

Water sources are under increasing threat from population growth, climate change, rapid urbanisation, rising levels of consumption, and the degradation of lands that previously provided a natural replenishment of water resources.

The study is intended as an aid to the world’s efforts to combat climate change and other environmental threats, as it highlights the difficulties of improving the lives of people in developing countries and tackling global warming, while food resources come under continuing pressure.

UNEP found the rate of damage to the natural environment was increasing globally, despite concerted efforts to persuade governments to take measures to improve the condition of vital natural resources, such as water, land and the seas.

“If current trends continue, and the world fails to enact solutions that improve patterns of production and consumption, if we fail to use natural resources sustainably, then the state of the world’s environment will continue to decline,” warned Achim Steiner, executive director of UNEP.

He said the tools for improving the environment for millions of people existed in developed countries but were in danger of not being used.

The study, using decades of scientific data, found that basic measures to tackle some of the key causes of environmental damage were still not being taken. These included measures to reduce air pollution, such as changes to vehicles; the damage to marine eco-systems, which can have a huge effect on fish stocks on which hundreds of millions of people depend; and the degradation of land when modern agricultural methods were pursued without regard to the longer-term consequences.

Despite the recent global agreement on cutting greenhouse gas emissions, signed in Paris last December, global carbon output continues to rise. The report argues this will put a long-term strain on the ability of developing economies to feed their own people as the result of changes such as increased droughts and floods.

Climate change is exacerbated by the emissions of greenhouse gases from agriculture, including the leaching of nitrous oxide – a powerful greenhouse gas – from run-off emissions and incorrectly stored animal manure.

These sources increased by more than a quarter between 2000 and 2010, the report found.

Other problem areas identified in the report included glaciers in the Andes, which provide vital water resources for tens of millions of people, but which are shrinking as the climate warms.

In rich countries, these problems have built up over decades and centuries while economic growth was pursued at the expense of the environment. Subsequent efforts to remedy the environment have met with partial success. But in developing countries, the path of future development has more potential to change, which has encouraged international institutions to devise more sustainable growth pathways that are supposed both to alleviate poverty and preserve the environment. If they follow the same pattern of growth, then the danger of irreparable environmental damage will intensify, the study’s authors conclude.

They recommend an increased awareness of the environmental impact of development. For instance, exploiting water resources can be made more sustainable by recycling water where possible, and changing agriculture so that wasteful methods of irrigation are replaced by more efficient ones.

Developing countries should also change their methods of dealing with waste, the report found, so as to protect clean water sources and prevent the burning of solid waste in landfill dumps.

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India sets new heat record as temperatures soar

The new record in Phalodi, a city in the desert state of Rajasthan, is the equivalent of 123.8 Fahrenheit and comes as a heatwave sweeps the nation.
Channel NewsAsia 20 May 16;

NEW DELHI: Temperatures have soared to a scorching 51 degrees Celsius in one Indian city, meteorologists said Friday (May 20), with the ferocious heat setting a new national record.

Northern Phalodi wilted as the mercury reached a new high, equivalent to 123.8 Fahrenheit, beating a 60-year-old record.

"Yesterday (Thursday) was the hottest temperature ever recorded in the country... 51 degrees in Phalodi," said B.P. Yadav, a director of the India Meteorological Department (IMD).

Hundreds of people die every year from the heat in India, with May and June usually the hottest months.

The latest record high came as the IMD issued warnings of "severe heat wave" conditions across large parts of India's north and west, including the capital Delhi, where temperatures hit 47 degrees Celsius earlier this week.

Zoo animals in the capital were treated to cold baths and given electrolytes to prevent dehydration. Demand for electricity in the city of 25 million people surged to a record high on Thursday as sweltering residents turned on their air conditioners.

Police officers on the beat were given oral rehydration solution and special "cooling scarves" containing water-absorbent crystals to keep their body temperature down, local papers reported.

The capital's hospitals have seen a spike in cases of heatstroke, while authorities in many states have ordered schools to break for summer earlier than normal due to the heatwave.

DROUGHT, FOREST FIRES

Temperatures in northern India regularly hit the high 40s in May and June, but topping 50 degrees is unusual. India declares a heatwave when the maximum temperature reaches 45 degrees Celsius, or five degrees higher than the average for the area in previous years.

Ahmedabad city in Gujarat state recorded its hottest day in a century when the mercury touched 48 degrees Celsius.

The heatwave comes as India faces its worst water crisis in decades, with about 330 million people, or a quarter of the population, suffering from drought after two weak monsoons.

Drinking water is running short in many states and poor rains have prompted extreme measures, including stationing armed guards at reservoirs and sending water trains to the worst-affected regions.

Officials have forecast an above-average monsoon this year, offering hope for the struggling agriculture sector that employs about 60 percent of the population.

But the monsoon is only forecast to hit the southern state of Kerala on Jun 7 - six days later than usual - before sweeping across the country. That means it will be weeks before the cooling rains reach India's arid plains.

The dry conditions have aided the spread of forest fires that recently swept through the hills of northern Uttarakhand and part of Himachal Pradesh states, which draw tens of thousands of tourists every year.

But elsewhere in the country there were warnings of floods as Cyclone Roanu approached the east coast after causing havoc in neighbouring Sri Lanka.

Last year, India suffered one of its deadliest heatwaves in which more than 2,400 people died.

- AFP/rw

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Best of our wild blogs: 20 May 16

Heritage Fest 2016 - Ubin
Rojak Librarian

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Six-week-old otter pup rescued, reunited with family after it almost drowned

Audrey Tan, The Straits Times AsiaOne 20 May 16;

SINGAPORE - Things are now going swimmingly well for an otter pup called Toby by the otter watching community here, despite a rough start in life.

On May 9, the six-week-old smooth-coated otter pup almost drowned after it fell off a ledge into a canal near Fort Road.

It was rescued by retiree and property investor Patrick Ng, 60, who dived in to fish Toby out of the waters. "After rescuing it, I left it on the ledge near the entrance to its holt and quickly swam away, in case the adults came back," Mr Ng said.

But the adult otters did not. The otter watching community later realised Toby's family had not returned for it when they found a new home nearby.

At 6pm that day, the pup was rescued and sent to Wildlife Reserves Singapore (WRS) for treatment.

Things took a turn for the better on Thursday (May 19), when the Marina 9 pack, as the family is affectionately known, was reunited.

As the pack scurried off into nearby vegetation, an adult otter was seen carrying Toby in its mouth, which is how animals such as otters move their young before they are strong enough to do so on their own.

The reunion was made possible thanks to the joint efforts of otter watchers from the informal community OtterWatch, scientists from the National University of Singapore (NUS), staff from the National Parks Board (NParks), as well as veterinarians from the Wildlife Reserves Singapore.

Ever since the Marina 9 were observed to be making regular crossings across East Coast Park Service Road to get between their holt and the sea, the OtterWatch community has been closely monitoring the pack to look out for the safety of the otters and other road users.

Last Monday (May 9), they noticed Toby peeking out of the holt, seemingly alone. It eventually ventured out onto the ledge and later fell into the canal.

Otter pups rely on their mother for milk, and are usually fed several times a day.

The pup could have emerged from the holt in the first place as it was hungry and searching for its parents, said Mr N Sivasothi, a lecturer at NUS' department of biological sciences who was involved in the rescue effort.

With only an hour of daylight left, rescue efforts were carried out at 6pm, and the pup was sent to WRS for treatment. Otter watcher Jeffery Teo, 44, who was part of the rescue team, said Toby was hiding inside a narrow trough.

While under WRS' care, Toby was nursed by Dr Serena Oh, assistant director of the WRS veterinary department. The pup was bottle-fed regularly, given a Vitamin B injection and dewormed. It showed positive signs of recovery throughout this period, WRS and NParks said in a joint response to media queries.

On Thursday morning (May 19), Toby was deemed strong enough to be released back into the wild.

It was also important to ensure that the wild otter pup did not get used to humans, Mr Sivasothi said. Wild animals usually keep a distance from people they encounter, which makes them less susceptible to cases of poaching, abuse, or "well-intentioned help", when people try to help animals that do not need rescuing, he added.

As the otter watchers had consistently monitored the movements of the pack, rescuers had a better idea of where the pup should be placed so the adults would notice it.

Toby was initially placed in a carrier it was used to, which was further surrounded by a pet fence to prevent it from wandering. But the pup was quiet and did not emerge from the carrier.

"The strange structure, and the lack of vocalisation from the pup, made the adults wary, although they did make a few attempts to get near," said Mr Sivasothi.

So the team tried a different strategy.

They removed Toby from its comfort zone and placed it on the sand. "It was uneasy and began squeaking and moving around, which immediately caught the attention of the adults nearby. They came over urgently but cautiously, and sniffed the pup," Mr Sivasothi added. The family scurried off together at about noon.

NParks and WRS said post-acceptance monitoring is being conducted to ensure that the otter pup is successfully assimilated into its family.

On the successful reunion, Mr Sivasothi said: "Today I experienced a strong, unencumbered feeling of joy. No doubt about how we did what we did. Still aglow from that wonderful conclusion!"

OtterWatch's Mr Teo added: "The rescue and reintroduction of Toby has demonstrated an unprecedented collaboration and 'make-it-happen' spirit between members of the public and across multiple agencies. Everyone puts in their best, not for pride nor glory, we just want to bring Toby home. This is humanity at its best form."

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Bishan train depot to run on solar energy by year end

CLIFFORD LEE Today Online 20 May 16;

SINGAPORE — Singapore’s largest train depot at Bishan will run on solar energy by the end of the year, after SMRT signed a deal with clean energy provider Sunseap Leasing.

The power system to be installed at the premises could potentially generate enough electricity to power 270 four-room public housing (HDB) flats for a year, and will be capable of meeting the depot’s operational energy needs — excluding train movements within the depot.

The other rail depot to tap on solar energy by the end of the year will be the new Tuas depot, which will serve the North-South and East-West Lines, the Land Transport Authority (LTA) told TODAY.

For the Bishan depot, SMRT and Sunseap said in a joint statement on Thursday (May 19) that a pilot one Megawatt-peak (MWp) solar photovoltaic (PV) system will be set up there and it is expected to be operational by the end of October. It will cover an initial area of 10,000sqm on the depot’s roof.

Mr Brandon Lee, Sunseap’s business development manager, said that this would be part of the first phase of the installation.

“If proven to be successful, they will further expand this system by another 4MWp, going to a total of 5MWp for the Bishan depot,” he said.

On the leasing model, Mr Lee said that SMRT would have to pay based on the amount of energy generated by the solar panels. “The leasing model is a performance-based model — when it generates power, it generates revenue for Sunseap,” he said.

With the new system, SMRT would be able to reduce its carbon footprint by 553 tonnes of carbon dioxide annually, the transport operator said.

On whether solar panels would be installed at other train depots and facilities, SMRT said that it would conduct feasibility studies before deciding on other possible implementations, such as at above-ground MRT stations.

In 2014, the LTA announced plans to harness solar energy at two new train depots by 2016: Gali Batu and Tuas depots.

It was part of the first tender it called for contractors to design, supply and install a 1.96MWp solar PV system at the rail depots. The project was awarded to Germany-based group Phoenix Solar, which develops, builds and operates large-scale solar PV plants.

The Gali Batu depot in Woodlands, which opened late last year and serves the Downtown Line, was the first train depot to have solar panels installed on its roofs. This and the one at Tuas presented an ideal opportunity to harvest solar energy, LTA said, because they have large roof areas and are not surrounded by tall buildings.


Solar-powered Bishan Depot to be ready by October this year
The rail depot will see a pilot 1 Megawatt-peak (MWp) solar photovoltaic (PV) system installed within the depot’s premise, say SMRT and Sunseap.
Channel NewsAsia 19 May 16;

SINGAPORE: SMRT's Bishan Depot will be able to run on solar power by the end of the year, after the transport operator signed a deal with Sunseap Leasing, a clean energy provider.

According to a joint press release on Thursday (May 19), a pilot 1 Megawatt-peak (MWp) solar photovoltaic (PV) system will be installed within the depot’s premise. This will sufficiently provide for the energy needs of the depot's buildings and workshops, excluding the energy required to power the trains' movements within the depot, they said.

The system will cover an initial area of about 10,000 square metres, and will be installed on the rooftop of the Main Depot building. Installation will take place in the third quarter of this year and is expected to be operational by October 2016.

This will allow SMRT to reduce its carbon footprint by 553 tonnes of CO2 annually. Under optimal conditions, the system can generate electricity equal to the annual energy consumption of about 270 four-room HDB flats, the press release said.

Both parties added that the system may be extended to provide up to 5 MWp should the trial be successful, while feasibility studies will be conducted to determine how solar panels can be implemented in other facilities such as aboveground MRT stations.

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Indonesia: Sibolangit disaster blamed on illegal logging

Jakarta Post 19 May 16;

Rampant illegal logging in the upstream areas of protected forests around Mount Sibayak, Karo regency, North Sumatra, is believed to be the cause of a flash flood that hit the Dua Warna Waterfall resort in Sibolangit, Deli Serdang regency, on Sunday.

Kusnadi Oldani, North Sumatra director of the Indonesian Forum for the Environment ( Walhi ), said around 25 percent of the protected forests around Mount Sibayak had been depleted due to illegal logging. Kusnadi added that the deforestation in upstream areas was believed to be the cause of the flash flood.

“The upstream area has been badly deforested, so it failed to hold the high level of rainfall and triggered the flash flood and landslide in downstream Sibolangit,” Kusnadi told The Jakarta Post on Wednesday.

Kusnadi said illegal logging in protected forests around Mount Sibayak had been taking place for a long time. However, he added, forestry officers had not been seen to stop the logging activities, despite the fact that they often took place close to the capital of Karo regency.

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Thailand: Severe coral bleaching threatens popular Phi Phi dive spots

Phuket Gazette 19 May 16;

PHUKET: Coral bleaching is rife in Phi Phi national park – the worst ever recorded in Thailand – alarmed conservation officials reported yesterday.

Many varieties of coral have been affected by the bleaching, which is due to the sea temperature rising to between 31 to 35 degrees Celsius, said an official from the Department of National Parks Wildlife and Plant Conservation (DNP).

Staghorn coral, lesser coral, mushroom coral, cauliflower coral, and hump coral are all being affected by the bleaching, which is far worse than observed in 2010, said Tikamporn Wongtawatchai, a specialist from Marine National Park and Protected Areas Innovation Center (MNIPC).

“Coral bleaching has been recorded all over the Hat Noppharat Thara-Mu Ko Phi Phi marine national park, but the bleaching is worse at Koh Kai,” said Mr Tikamporn.

This is the first time hump coral has been affected by bleaching, indicating that the bleaching is far worse than ever before. The bleaching has occurred in several popular dive spots, including Pileh Bay, Loh Samah Bay, Koh Yoong, Monkey Beach, Koh Pai and Koh Gai.

Conservationists earlier this week proposed closing off Maya Bay to tourists to help restore the bleached coral and other endangered marine life there (story here).

“We cannot control nature. However, we can stop people from disturbing the marine life in these spots. Hopefully, this latest report of the extensive damage will persuade the DNP to take quick action by closing off Maya bay and other spots in Phi Phi national park affected by the bleaching,” said Mr Tikamporn.

— Kritsada Mueanhawong

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Best of our wild blogs: 19 May 16

Sun 05 Jun 2016 – Journey to the East with Pedal Ubin! (30 places)
Toddycats!

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El Nino pushes up prices of M’sian fruit, vegetables and Thai coconuts

Today Online 18 May 16;

KUALA LUMPUR — The extended spell of hot weather due to the El Nino weather phenomenon has taken a toll on crop supply, causing the prices of some fruits and vegetables in the ­region to soar.

Federation of Malaysian Vegeta­ble Farmers’ Association president Tan So Tiok told The Star newspaper that local vegetable output had dropped 20 per cent since last month. The shortage has also affected supply to Singapore by about the same percentage, he said.

“This has affected both leafy vege­tables like mustard leaves, watercress and cabbage, and non-leafy vegetables such as long beans, chilli, cucumber, pumpkin and bitter gourd,” he said.

Mr Tan said the situation had improved because of the recent rains but the upcoming Muslim fasting month of Ramadan would create new problems. “Indonesian farm workers will usually head back to their home towns for the fasting month, which leaves us shorthanded,” he said.

“The situation is made worse by the freeze on foreign workers because we can’t take in labourers from other countries to replace those heading home.”

He said countries such as China, Thailand, Vietnam and Indonesia, from where Malaysia imports vegetables, are also cautious about their vegetable supply as they are also facing shortages from the ongoing hot weather.

Cameron Highlands Vegetable Growers Association secretary Chay Ee Mong said output from the highlands has dropped between 30 per cent and 40 per cent since the middle of March, causing vegetables prices to soar by 50 per cent. About 80 per cent of the output is consumed locally while the rest is exported to Singapore.

Over in Thailand, the hot weather has affected Thai coconut production and prices have gone up almost 100 per cent in Singapore as a result.

Coconut importer Kelvin Ngian of Siam Coconut said that the prices are the highest he has seen in 15 years.

“Normally, the price would go up about 1.5 times during this period of shortage. Since January, we have been seeing an increase in coconut prices about one fold,” he said. “That’s the highest we have seen in 15 years.”

Apart from the hot weather, prices have gone up because there has been an increase in demand for coconuts as drinking coconut water has become a health fad.

Malaysia has been enveloped in a sweltering heatwave that saw the temporary closure of schools in March and April and slowed vegetable production, leading to price hikes. Paddy fields, durian and rubber plantations have also been affected by the severe temperatures, and water levels at dams and water treatment plants have been decreasing.

The drought has forced some states, such as Perlis and Johor, to impose water rationing measures.

The Malaysian government has warned that the dry and hot spell could stretch to September, resulting in depleting water reserves, more forest fires and worsening haze.

Science, Technology and Innovation Minister Wilfred Madius Tangau had told TODAY last month that the hot weather would continue for the next five months due to the changing south-west monsoon winds.

The monsoon season is between May and September.

Various industries have expressed concern over the situation while farmers and fish breeders said they have suffered losses due to the heat. AGENCIES

Import prices of Thai coconuts hit record highs amid dry weather
Local importers say Thai coconut prices have doubled due to the ongoing hot spell in the region and rising global demand for coconut products.
Lim Jia Qi Channel NewsAsia 18 May 16;

SINGAPORE: Siam Coconut has been importing coconuts from Thailand for the past 15 years. Every year during this period, the local company would expect prices to increase as hot and dry weather hits supplies. But this year, the company has been taken by surprise because prices have gone up by more than usual.

"Normally, the price would go up about 1.5 times during this period of shortage. Since January, we have been seeing an increase in coconut prices about one fold," said the company's general manager, Mr Kelvin Ngian. "That's the highest we have seen in 15 years."

He said the extremely hot weather in Thailand is partially to blame, with crops taking a hit. Making the situation even worse, though, is the growing global popularity of coconut products, which means Singapore importers are having to compete harder to source sufficient supplies.

"We are basically fighting with the rest of the world to get the coconuts. There is a lot of education on the benefits of coconut water. So countries like America and China, they are setting up factories in Thailand, collecting the coconuts to produce coconut products," Mr Ngian added.

Coconut water is believed to be a 'heat clearing' food and is seen to have other benefits, such as hydrating the human body more effectively than energy drinks.

Siam Coconut imports about 120,000 coconuts every month. To ensure sufficient supply, Mr Ngian said he now has to visit Thailand once a month to find new sources of supply instead of every three months.

As the supply of coconuts continues to dwindle, Mr Vincent Li, the owner of importer Choong Guan Heng, has also had to visit Thailand twice in the last month to look for new suppliers.

"I managed to find new sources of supply but they didn't have much also. They just gave us a bit, it's still not enough," said Mr Li in Mandarin, adding that he is also restricting sales of coconuts in some cases. "If a customer is buying 10 boxes of coconuts and there is not enough, maybe I'll just sell them 5 boxes."

Mr Yeo Cheng Hong, Chairman of Lai Hong Fruits, said the import price of 30 coconuts would have cost about S$30 in March. But the price has since risen to about S$50. "It's the highest I've ever seen," Mr Yeo added.

With higher import costs, consumers may have to bear the brunt of it. Ms Jessie Leong, 57, used to buy coconuts from supermarkets every week, but she stopped when the price started creeping up.

"They started increasing gradually so I stopped buying when it hit $1.90," said Ms Leong.

When Channel NewsAsia visited a FairPrice outlet in Choa Chu Kang on Tuesday (May 17), the price of one Thai coconut was $2.70.

A spokesperson from FairPrice said the price of Thai coconuts has increased by about five per cent compared to a week ago.

"There has been a gradual increase in the cost of coconuts from Thailand in the past few months due to the extreme weather conditions that have affected supply."

The spokesperson added that the supermarket diversifies its sources to help moderate the cost of products.

"We have brought in coconuts from Vietnam, which are presently about 20 per cent cheaper than Thai coconuts. We continue to monitor this situation closely," said the spokesperson.

The price increase may be short-lived. Importers said the prices should return to normal by end June as weather conditions in Thailand improve.

- CNA/jq

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Malaysia: Marine Parks Dept takes steps to protect coral reefs

The Star 19 May 16;

PETALING JAYA: The Marine Parks Department is moving to protect Malaysia’s valuable coral reefs following warnings that they are in danger due to rising sea surface temperatures.

Malaysia was recently notified of the danger by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), which indicated that sea surface temperatures in some of Malaysia’s waters were above average, and the coral reefs might soon be exposed to thermal stress.

Coral bleaching was a possibility, added the US scientific agency.

The “Bleaching Watch” notification for Malaysia was issued on May 2 under NOAA’s Coral Reef Watch Programme.

The programme publishes satellite data on sea surface temperatures, providing an indication of current reef environmental conditions to quickly identify areas at risk of coral bleaching.

Natural Resources and Environ­ment Minister Datuk Seri Dr Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar noted that coral bleaching was a major threat to the health of reefs and deserved serious attention due to its implications for marine biodiversity, fisheries and tourism in Malaysia.

He said following the mass coral reef bleaching in 2010, the Coral Reef Bleaching Response Committee was set up to address future bleaching events.

“The committee is monitoring the situation and consulting with stakeholders to develop appropriate management responses,” Dr Wan Junaidi said in a statement.

The committee will begin surveys of coral reefs and track the onset of any bleaching.

Coral bleaching, according to NOAA, happens when corals are stressed by changes in conditions such as temperature, light or nutrients and they expel the symbiotic algae living in their tissues, causing them to turn completely white.


Warmer seas in Malaysia may lead to bleaching, endangering coral reefs in our oceans
HASHINI KAVISHTRI KANNAN New Straits Times 18 May 16;

PUTRAJAYA: Higher sea temperatures in Malaysian oceans may soon cause a phenomenon known as coral bleaching, endangering coral reefs in the oceans of the country.

Action plans are being prepared to protect Malaysia’s coral reefs after an early warning that mass coral bleaching could be a high possibility.

In a statement earlier, Natural Resources and Environment Minister Datuk Seri Dr Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar said the Coral Reef Bleaching Response Committee (CRBRC) under the Department of Marine Parks Malaysia (DMPM) was monitoring the situation closely.

"After the mass coral reef bleaching incident in 2010, CRBRC was established to respond effectively to future bleaching events.

"It is also currently consulting with stakeholders to develop appropriate management responses in order to protect Malaysia's valuable coral reefs," he added.

This was following the issuance of a 'bleaching watch' notification for Malaysia on May 2 by the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Adminis­tration’s Coral Watch Programme.

Wan Junaidi said the notification indicated that sea surface temperatures in some of Malaysia's waters were above average and Malaysia's coral reefs may have been or soon will be exposed to thermal stress.

"Coral bleaching is a major threat to coral reef health and deserves serious attention due to implications on marine biodiversity, coral reefs fisheries and tourism in the country," he added.

NOAA's Coral Reef Watch Programme publishes satellite data on sea surface temperatures, providing an indication of current reef environmental conditions to quickly identify areas at risk of coral bleaching, he added.

"Continuous monitoring of sea surface temperature at global scale provides researchers and stakeholders with tools to understand and better manage the complex interactions leading to coral bleaching," he said.

Wan Junaidi said when bleaching conditions occurred, these tools can be used to trigger bleaching response plans and support appropriate management decisions, adding that bleaching is a natural response of corals under stress.

"The term 'Mass Bleaching' describes the large scale phenomenon of many species of corals bleaching simultaneously over a significant spatial scale," Wan Junaidi said.

He said CRBRC will begin surveys on coral reefs to monitor the situation in the country and track the onset of any bleaching.

"Actions plans to respond to such an event have already been prepared.

"The committee will provide further information as it becomes available and will work to ensure all stakeholders are kept fully informed of the changing situation, "he added.

DMPM has published the first Malaysian Coral Reef Bleaching Response Plan as a guide for monitoring and managing future bleaching events and communicating with stakeholders on per-determined steps that need to be carried out during mass coral reef bleaching.

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Malaysia: Johor seeks best way to protect dugong

KATHLEEN ANN KILI The Star 19 May 16;

JOHOR BARU: The state government will leave it to the experts to come up with suitable suggestions on the best way to protect and conserve marine life, especially the endangered dugong.

Johor Health and Environment Committee chairman Datuk Ayub Rahmat said they were in talks with consultants on the setting up of a marine park near Mersing, which will include a dugong sanctuary.

“We will not rule out suggestions to use a tagging system to monitor the movement of dugong. We will also explore other experts’ advice.

“We want to ensure that the method carried out to protect the sea mammal is the most suitable to avoid any future issues,” he said.

Ayub said currently, their focus was on sourcing for the best spot among the islands off Mersing to build the marine park.

He added that Johor Ruler Sultan Ibrahim ibni Almarhum Sultan Iskandar was expected to pre-launch the Sultan Iskandar Marine Park in July.

It will just be a soft launch while the operational aspects and mechanisms of creating the park will be discussed in the next six months, he said, adding that RM1mil set aside was just a start-up allocation.

Ayub said the state government would seek more allocations, including from the Federal Government, following discussions with the experts.

For now, the RM1mil would be utilised to identify and measure the exact location, instal buoys to mark the areas as well as to cons­truct a monument for the park, he added.

He also pointed out that it was unfair to solely blame developments as the cause for the dwindling number of dugong along the most southern part of the state.

“We also have to take environmental changes into consideration including water pollution due to the discharge of waste or oil spills as well as the speed of huge vessels passing through the area.

“Our studies show that the islands off Mersing are still rich with the dugong’s staple diet – seagrass. This is likely why the sea mammal has been spotted there more often these past few years,” he said.

The Sunday Star reported on the dwindling number of dugong, also known as sea cow, around southern Johor, which used to be a haven for the shy creatures due to the abundance of seagrass there.

Experts claimed that they have been migrating to the eastern part of the state near Mersing where seagrass is ample.


‘Tagging dugong is costly and may not be feasible’
KATHLEEN ANN KILI The Star 22 May 16;

JOHOR BARU: A tagging system to monitor the dugong may not be feasible due to high costs and low number of the mammal, said Rantau Abang Endangered Marine Species and Turtle Research Division director Syed Abdullah Syed Abdul Kadir.

“The objective of tagging is to obtain their migration pattern as well as to determine their roaming areas.

“But research showed that this approach may be costly as we have to tag at least 50% of its population.

“We will need a lot of tags and a large number of dugong in order to get solid information. And capturing the creatures to tag them may also scare them away,” he said.

“This will backfire on our cause,” he added.

Last Sunday, The Star reported on the dwindling number of dugong, also known as sea cow, in southern Johor that was previously a haven for them due to the abundance of seagrass there.

But the depleting seagrass had forced the dugong to move to the eastern part of the state.

Concerned groups have suggested tagging the dugong to keep track of them, thus creating a database to monitor their population and movements.

Syed Abdullah said the Fisheries Research Institute had recorded three dugong deaths since the beginning of this year.

There were five such deaths in 2015 and four cases in 2014, mostly due to them being hit by boats, tangled in nets or incidental catches.

He acknowledged that there had been a drastic decline in the number of dugong, citing factors such as fish bombings, hunting, unsupervised tourism, seagrass degradation and habitat loss due to land reclamation and dredging activities.

“With rapid development in Johor some dugong habitats are no longer conducive for them to inhabit,” he said.

He urged Malaysians to play their part by avoiding fishing activities and reducing the speed of their boat at areas known to be populated by dugong, as well as to keep the cleanliness of sea water by not discarding waste into it.

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