Protect our reefs: A RCM member conducting reef surveys at Pulau Aur in Mersing, Johor.
JOHOR BARU: A non-governmental organisation is conducting bi-weekly surveys on some of the popular islands in the country following reports of mass coral bleaching.
Reef Check Malaysia (RCM) chief executive officer Julian Hyde said Malaysia’s coral reefs are turning white due to exposure to warm water for a prolonged period.
“RCM has been monitoring the matter since February this year.
“We are following the steps in the Malaysia Bleaching Response Plan after receiving warning predictions of coral bleaching from the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) Coral Reef Watch.
“The plan is primarily a communications strategy for all stakeholders. It ensures everyone is informed about the situation and outlines the limited management responses available to reef managers.”
One key management response is frequent reef monitoring surveys, he added.
“We have been conducting bi-weekly surveys on coral reefs at Pulau Redang in Terengganu, Pulau Tioman in Pahang, Pulau Besar in Johor, Pulau Larapan and Pulau Mabul in Sabah, besides monthly surveys with Sabah Parks in Kota Kinabalu,” he said.
He added that RCM has been receiving reports on bleaching from scuba diving operators and leisure divers from Pulau Langkawi in Kedah, Pulau Perhentian in Terengganu, Pulau Sepanggar, Pulau Pom-Pom and Pulau Mantanani in Sabah as well as Darvel Bay in Labuan via RCM’s online bleaching reporting forms.
Asked what can be done in the event of mass coral bleaching, Hyde said there is a need to protect the reefs by reducing local threats.
“During World Ocean Day earlier this month, we spoke with dive centres about measures to reduce pressure on reefs by avoiding the most resilient sites, and sites experiencing high levels of bleaching as well as by conducting coral predator removal, namely the crown-of-thorns starfish.
“The response was very positive as dive operators were eager to take actions that would promote recovery.
“But most importantly, we need to realise that climate change related impacts such as mass bleaching are only expected to increase in frequency and intensity in the future,” he said.
Meanwhile, RCM chief programmes officer Alvin Chelliah said bleaching only affected around 5% of the population on some reefs in February this year.
“However, as temperatures remained high in April and May, more corals started to bleach.
“The situation is more severe in Terengganu, with up to 80% of some reefs bleached,” he said.
On average, Johor and Pahang recorded coral bleaching of around 25%, 40% in Kota Kinabalu and around 14% in Semporna, he added.
Alvin also said there is an urgent need for long-term planning and building reef resilience by controlling local impacts.
“This includes addressing issues like sewage pollution, physical damage, coastal development and solid waste pollution.
“We are in talks with state and federal government agencies to foster collaboration in addressing these pressing issues,” said Alvin.
The public is also encouraged to report incidents of coral bleaching when diving or snorkelling to RCM through their website, Facebook and Instagram.
On June 24, the Fisheries Department said more than half of the coral reefs in Malaysian waters had been affected by coral bleaching between April and June due to increased sea surface temperatures.
Those particularly affected are the marine park islands in four states: Pulau Payar (Kedah); Pulau Perhentian, Pulau Redang and Pulau Tenggol (Terengganu); Pulau Tioman (Pahang); and Pulau Pemanggil (Johor).
Early this year, the NOAA issued a “Bleaching Watch” notification for Malaysia, indicating above-average sea surface temperatures and potential thermal stress on coral reefs.
