Mooring buoys to protect reefs

We have successfully installed an additional eight mooring buoys at various snorkeling sites in Mersing islands’ which includes Pulau Harimau, Pulau Tengah and Pulau Besar. This activity was conducted in collaboration with Mersing District Council, local island community, and boat operators. The installation of mooring buoys offers a more environmentally friendly alternative as compared to the usage of anchors which can be damaging to marine habitats such as coral reefs, seagrass beds and other underwater ecosystems. Additionally, the mooring buoys also help to facilitate safe boat operations and island-hopping activities around coral reef areas on these islands.

Boat operators using one of the newly installed mooring buoys

school break happenings

During the recent February school holidays, we held an awareness programme in collaboration with the Mersing District Council, attended by 20 local youths and community members from Mersing. The programme began with a beach cleanup at Mersing town beach, where 60kg of marine debris was gathered and sorted.

Furthermore, a microplastic demonstration was conducted by sieving the beach sand to observe the presence of microplastic. Participants also embarked on an educational tour to explore the marine ecosystem of Pulau Mawar. Alongside learning about mangroves ecosystem and coastal environment, participants gained insights into the geological formation of the area and its contribution to the diverse marine ecosystems found in Mersing.

Participants collecting debris along the Mersing town beach

success and expansion of recycling programme

The recycling programme in Pulau Tinggi has successfully collected over 100kg of recyclable materials, including plastic bottles, metal and aluminum tins, and glass bottles. Since its inception in August 2023, the programme has received overwhelming support and participation from the islanders, as well as tourism operators who have expressed interest to collaborate in this initiative.

This year, we plan to extend the recycling programme to Pulau Aur and Pemanggil. We hope that by sharing the outcomes and progress achieved through the recycling programmes in Pulau Sibu and Pulau Tinggi with other island communities, the initiatives will also be accepted across the Mersing islands.