Just like a colleagues on TIoman, our Mersing team has also removed a whopping 466kg of ghost nets from the reefs around Sibu, Tengah, Aur and Pemanggil Islands. This was carried out in a series of joint efforts with Johor’s Department of Fisheries (DoF), Johor National Parks, Tengah Island Conservation (TIC), and the Mersing local community.  Additionally, 375 Crown-of-Thorns Starfish (COTs) were also removed from two these reef areas, culled using the vinegar injection method. Regular control measures conducted by the team have managed to inhibit the overpopulation of COTs which could then damage the nearby coral reefs.

We’re also excited to welcome two more key stakeholders (a local community member and a tourism operator) as EcoDivers! To date, there are five certified EcoDivers among the Mersing communities, who are now equipped with knowledge and skills in the Reef Check coral reef survey method. Now we can look forward to having more local community members participate in our annual reef survey in the Mersing islands in 2024.

Our Mersing colleagues had the privilege of organising a two-day one-night marine conservation and environmental awareness programme with 17 local youths, between the ages of 15 and 18. The programme was conducted in collaboration with the Mersing District Council and YSEALI Council of Malaysia (YCOM), also supported by the Mersing District Office, TIC, Young Southeast Asian Leaders Initiatives (YSEALI), and the U.S. Embassy in Kuala Lumpur.

Participants engaged in indoor activities, such as role-play activities and group discussions, as well as field tours to explore the various marine ecosystems in the Mersing islands. This programme is aimed to educate and advocate on the importance of Mersing’s marine ecosystems, give a glimpse of the responsibility of local stakeholders in integrating sustainability agendas into local development plans, as well as highlight the ongoing conservation efforts to protect vulnerable marine species, such as marine turtles.

Aside from working with school students, we also organised a workshop for various government agencies, local organisations, and tourism operators in Mersing to deliberate matters on tourism stakeholders’ participation in marine conservation initiatives. During the course of the workshop, we updated the participants on RCM’s sustainable tourism programmmes, the GreenFins for dive operators, Eco-Friendly Snorkelling Guide training for snorkel guides and boat operators, and the Green Hotel assessment for local chalet or resort operators.

At the end of the workshop, a majority of participants agreed that local tourism operators and organisations should work together towards a common goal of protecting the island's coral reef. Premised on that goal, they have volunteered to share resources in support of the initiatives. Our aim is to encourage more participation in these programmes from among local tourism operators, and that they will embrace environmentally friendly practices in their businesses, and subsequently promote sustainable marine tourism in Mersing.