
Nearly 1,500 Crown-of-Thorns starfish removed in Lahad Datu reef cleanup
LAHAD DATU (Aug 15): A three-day underwater cleanup by volunteer divers resulted in the removal of 1,495 Crown-of-Thorns starfish (COTS) from the waters of Darvel Bay here.
Co-organised by the Marine Research Foundation (MRF) and Reef Check Malaysia (RCM) with support from Sabah Parks, the August 10–12 expedition involved 17 divers from local government agencies, the Department of Fisheries Sabah, Marine Police Lahad Datu, community groups from Larapan and Selakan, Sabah Dive Rangers, and local dive operator Darvel Bay Diving.
COTS are large predatory starfish that feed on corals and, in outbreak numbers, can devastate entire reef systems. Controlling their population is essential to preserving marine ecosystems.
MRF's Principal Programme Officer, Liyana Izwin Khalid, urged communities, stakeholders, and policymakers to work together to manage COTS in Darvel Bay, while MRF Conservation Officer Chris Chai Chun Xue highlighted the importance of multi-stakeholder collaboration.
RCM Programme Manager Nadhirah Mohd Rifai stressed that removing COTS is only part of the solution, pointing to the need to tackle root causes such as water quality decline, overfishing of natural predators, and climate change.
The initiative was funded by the Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Environment Sabah and PADI Aware Foundation.
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Borneo Post
3 days ago
- Borneo Post
Nearly 1,500 Crown-of-Thorns starfish removed in Lahad Datu reef cleanup
Volunteers posing after one of the dives to remove COTS. – Photos courtesy of MRF & RCM. LAHAD DATU (Aug 15): A three-day underwater cleanup by volunteer divers resulted in the removal of 1,495 Crown-of-Thorns starfish (COTS) from the waters of Darvel Bay here. Co-organised by the Marine Research Foundation (MRF) and Reef Check Malaysia (RCM) with support from Sabah Parks, the August 10–12 expedition involved 17 divers from local government agencies, the Department of Fisheries Sabah, Marine Police Lahad Datu, community groups from Larapan and Selakan, Sabah Dive Rangers, and local dive operator Darvel Bay Diving. COTS are large predatory starfish that feed on corals and, in outbreak numbers, can devastate entire reef systems. Controlling their population is essential to preserving marine ecosystems. MRF's Principal Programme Officer, Liyana Izwin Khalid, urged communities, stakeholders, and policymakers to work together to manage COTS in Darvel Bay, while MRF Conservation Officer Chris Chai Chun Xue highlighted the importance of multi-stakeholder collaboration. RCM Programme Manager Nadhirah Mohd Rifai stressed that removing COTS is only part of the solution, pointing to the need to tackle root causes such as water quality decline, overfishing of natural predators, and climate change. The initiative was funded by the Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Environment Sabah and PADI Aware Foundation.


Herald Malaysia
01-08-2025
- Herald Malaysia
Malaysian nun elected to global leadership of Infant Jesus Sisters
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Borneo Post
22-07-2025
- Borneo Post
UMS, JSK Mantanani to strengthen marine biodiversity conservation
Dr Kasim (third right) with Johnny Wong holding the signed MoA. KOTA KINABALU (July 22): Universiti Malaysia Sabah (UMS) and JSK Mantanani Island Resorts Sdn Bhd have officially signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to boost collaborative efforts in marine biodiversity research and education focused on the Mantanani Islands. The agreement formalises a partnership that began in 2023 when JSK Mantanani took proactive steps to combat the persistent poaching of nesting sea turtles on the island. UMS Vice Chancellor Professor Datuk Dr Kasim Mansor said the MoU opens new avenues for joint research, technology development, knowledge transfer and specialised training between the university and industry partners. 'This partnership is about more than just conservation. It's about fostering a resilient, informed and science-led approach to marine stewardship,' he said during the signing ceremony at the university on Tuesday. Prompted by growing concerns over declining turtle populations, JSK sought technical advice from UMS, laying the groundwork for a structured conservation initiative. With guidance from UMS marine scientists, JSK successfully secured formal approval from the Sabah Wildlife Department to launch a turtle conservation programme. Several JSK staff members have since been trained and appointed as Honorary Wildlife Rangers, granting them legal authority to monitor beaches, relocate turtle nests and manage the JSK Turtle Hatchery. The initiative has already seen positive outcomes, with two green turtle (Chelonia mydas) nests protected so far, achieving a hatching success rate of over 90 per cent. In addition to JSK, four other industry players also signed MoU and Memorandum of Agreement (MoA) with UMS. They are Sinar Majutera Travel & Tours Sdn Bhd, Osmosis Nutrition Sdn Bhd, Biocircular Technologies Sdn Bhd and VKL Enterprise. JSK Mantanani, Osmosis Nutrition and Biocircular Technologies will collaborate with the university's Borneo Marine Research Institute, while Sinar Majutera Travel & Tours will work with the Centre for Borneo Indigenous Studies and VKL Enterprise with the Faculty of Sustainable Agriculture. Present at the signing ceremony were JSK Mantanani Island Managing Director, Datuk Johnny Wong Chen Yee; Sinar Majutera Travel & Tours Managing Director, Datuk Seri Nasir Sakaran; Senior Manager of Osmosis Nutrition, Ng Weng Yee; Biocircular Technologies Managing Director, Lam Hua Wei and VKL Enterprise Managing Director, Sharizann Abdul Rahim.