NGO sounds alarm over starfish outbreak, boat anchoring on corals off Semporna
SEMPORNA: The outbreak of the crown-of-thorns (COT) starfish or Acanthaster planci, and the frequent anchoring of tour boats are affecting the survival of corals off Semporna.
Reef Check Malaysia (RCM) programme manager Adzmin Fatta said COT starfish outbreaks, in particular, were extremely destructive to reef ecosystems.
"The scale and frequency of recent reports are deeply concerning. That's why we're mobilising more trained community teams to respond swiftly to new hotspots," he said in a statement.
He added that RCM, in collaboration with Semporna Aqua Planet and local community marine conservation groups (CMCGs), had successfully removed 869 COT starfish from the reefs around Bakungan Island here.
The rapid-response operation was conducted amid the starfish outbreaks in the waters here and neighbouring Darvel Bay in Lahad Datu.
In addition to the outbreaks, he said RCM had also received disturbing reports of frequent boat anchorings directly on live coral near Pulau Timba-Timba, threatening the reef's health there.
"With limited resources, RCM is urging all diving and snorkelling operators to immediately adopt reef-friendly practices to minimise physical damage.
"As part of a broader effort to protect Semporna's reefs, RCM is actively promoting the Green Fins programme — a globally recognised initiative that supports the marine tourism industry in adopting environmentally sustainable practices.
"These include proper waste management, avoiding anchor use, and educating guests on responsible reef behaviour.Tour operators play a critical role in reef conservation," he said.
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Borneo Post
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Coral-eating starfish removed amid outbreak in Semporna
A diver removing a Crown-of-Thorns starfish at Bakungan Island in Semporna. SEMPORNA (June 7): Reef Check Malaysia (RCM), in collaboration with Semporna Aqua Planet and local Community Marine Conservation Groups (CMCGs), has successfully removed 869 Crown-of-Thorns (COT) starfish from the reefs around Bakungan Island in a coordinated emergency reef response. The rapid-response operation was led by RCM staff and trained community members from four islands: Selakan, Larapan, Kulapuan and Pemimpin Belia IKLIM Mabul. The intervention follows a surge in COT outbreaks across Semporna and neighbouring Darvel Bay in Lahad Datu. The coral-eating starfish are known to severely damage reef ecosystems if not promptly managed. 'Outbreaks like this are extremely destructive to reef ecosystems,' said Adzmin Fatta, Programme Manager for Reef Check Malaysia in Semporna. 'The scale and frequency of recent reports are deeply concerning. That's why we're mobilising more trained community teams to respond swiftly to new hotspots.' Crown-of-Thorns starfish is a coral-eating species known to devastate coral ecosystems. RCM also reported ongoing damage from boats anchoring directly on live coral near Timba-Timba Island. With limited enforcement resources, RCM is urging all diving and snorkelling operators to adopt reef-friendly practices immediately. As part of its broader conservation efforts, RCM is promoting the Green Fins programme — a globally recognised initiative that supports the marine tourism industry in adopting sustainable environmental practices. These include proper waste management, avoiding anchor use, and educating tourists on responsible reef behaviour. 'Tour operators play a critical role in reef conservation. By following Green Fins guidelines, they can reduce their ecological footprint and help preserve Semporna's marine heritage for future generations,' Adzmin said. In a positive development, Makatagih Travel & Tours has become the first snorkelling tour operator in Semporna to be assessed and officially join the Green Fins network. While most current members in Malaysia are dive operators, RCM is now expanding assessments to include snorkelling operators, whose activities are more frequent and pose higher cumulative risks to reef ecosystems. 'Our reefs are under increasing pressure — from biological threats like COTs to human impacts from tourism. Now more than ever, urgent and collective action is needed to protect what remains of these vital ecosystems,' said Adzmin. RCM is calling on the public, tourism industry stakeholders, and government agencies to unite in supporting reef protection efforts and safeguarding the long-term health of Semporna's marine environment.
New Straits Times
2 days ago
- New Straits Times
NGO sounds alarm over starfish outbreak, boat anchoring on corals off Semporna
SEMPORNA: The outbreak of the crown-of-thorns (COT) starfish or Acanthaster planci, and the frequent anchoring of tour boats are affecting the survival of corals off Semporna. Reef Check Malaysia (RCM) programme manager Adzmin Fatta said COT starfish outbreaks, in particular, were extremely destructive to reef ecosystems. "The scale and frequency of recent reports are deeply concerning. That's why we're mobilising more trained community teams to respond swiftly to new hotspots," he said in a statement. He added that RCM, in collaboration with Semporna Aqua Planet and local community marine conservation groups (CMCGs), had successfully removed 869 COT starfish from the reefs around Bakungan Island here. The rapid-response operation was conducted amid the starfish outbreaks in the waters here and neighbouring Darvel Bay in Lahad Datu. In addition to the outbreaks, he said RCM had also received disturbing reports of frequent boat anchorings directly on live coral near Pulau Timba-Timba, threatening the reef's health there. "With limited resources, RCM is urging all diving and snorkelling operators to immediately adopt reef-friendly practices to minimise physical damage. "As part of a broader effort to protect Semporna's reefs, RCM is actively promoting the Green Fins programme — a globally recognised initiative that supports the marine tourism industry in adopting environmentally sustainable practices. "These include proper waste management, avoiding anchor use, and educating guests on responsible reef operators play a critical role in reef conservation," he said.
New Straits Times
16-05-2025
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More than half of Malaysia's coral reefs affected by bleaching, says report
KUALA LUMPUR: More than half of Malaysia's coral reefs have been affected by bleaching, with over a third showing signs of death, according to a new report highlighting the devastating impact of the 2024 global coral bleaching event. The 2024 Malaysia Coral Bleaching Impact Report, released by Coralku and Reef Check Malaysia, revealed that 50.7 per cent of surveyed corals across Peninsular Malaysia and Sabah experienced bleaching, while 34.1 per cent suffered mortality on average. The northeastern region, particularly the Terengganu archipelago, was the worst hit, with coral death averaging 44.2 per cent. Monitoring data on coral bleaching incidence and mortality were collected across 24 sites in four Malaysian regions: northeastern Peninsular Malaysia, southeastern Peninsular Malaysia, and east and west Sabah. Coralku founder and lead author of the report, Sebastian Szereday, said Malaysia's coral reefs are at a tipping point. "The scale and severity of bleaching observed in 2024 underscore the vulnerability of our reefs to extreme and prolonged heat stress, with profound implications for marine life and reef-dependent communities," he said. Szereday added that unlike previous bleaching events in 2010 and 2019-2020, coral species with complex growth forms, crucial for reef structure and fish habitat, were disproportionately impacted in 2024, resulting in a significant loss of three-dimensional reef complexity. "This threatens not only marine ecosystems but also the aesthetic and economic value of reefs, which are vital to local tourism and fisheries. To date, six archipelagos within Malaysia's marine parks are valued at RM8.7 billion, according to the Department of Fisheries Malaysia (DoF)," he said. Reef Check Malaysia science officer and co-lead author Chen Sue Yee said urgent local and national actions are necessary to support reef resilience. "It is vital to take action to support our weakened reefs. Measures such as eliminating land-based pollution, including untreated sewage, industrial waste, and agricultural runoff, and mitigating coastal development impacts like sedimentation and physical reef damage must be prioritised," she said. "We should also promote sustainable tourism to minimise direct physical harm to coral ecosystems and enhance local research capacity and community-led reef co-management. Our findings with Community Marine Conservation Groups (CMCGs) show that these approaches improve awareness, livelihoods, and reef health. "Strengthening enforcement of no-take zones and fishing regulations is also essential to reduce exploitation and habitat destruction," added Chen. Meanwhile, National University of Singapore researcher and co-author of the report Lee Li Keat said research should focus on expanding standardised bleaching monitoring protocols to identify heat-resilient coral species and sites.
