Sabah Community Empowerment Leadership Camp (CELC)

In February, Matdin (a member of RMCG) and Muhaimin (RCM Redang staff) participated in the 2025 Sabah CELC (Sabah Community Environmental Leadership Camp) program. They had the opportunity to explore various learning experiences on climate change impacts, beach erosion, and conservation strategies.

The highlight of this camp was their visit to Mabul Island, where they conducted beach profiling, water quality assessments, and coral reef rehabilitation. These hands-on activities deepened their understanding of coastal dynamics and marine restoration and they plan to apply these insights and lessons in Redang Island.

Matdin (RMCG) participating in a session during the Sabah CELC

GAINING NEW SKILLS

Muhaimin and Asma (RCM Redang) along with one member of the RMCG participated in a 2-day Necropsy Workshop at FRI Rantau Abang, organized by Fuze Ecoteer. During this workshop, they practiced turtle necropsy techniques to determine cause of death, while also gaining knowledge on threats to turtle populations and supporting conservation efforts.

Practical session on necropsy techniques

OCEANS 5 SURVEY

In March, Muhaimin (RCM Redang) conducted an Oceans 5 survey among the islanders to assess the local perspectives on marine park management. A total of 16 local stakeholders, including tourism operators were interviewed to gather insights on the effectiveness of conservation efforts, challenges faced, and areas for improvement. The findings will contribute to future conservation planning and sustainable tourism development in Redang Island.

Muhaimin during an interview session with an islander

redang marine conservation group (RMCG) activities

Our RCMG team has been busy this first quarter and here are a few activities they conducted:

February: 5 RMCG members responded to a ghost net sighting report in Teluk Rotan, successfully extracting 250kg of ghost nets and ropes from the area. The recovered materials were then sent to the Department of Fisheries (DOF) for further processing.
February: 3 RMCG members deployed five reef rehabilitation structures sponsored by AICB. The team conducted two dives:
- Dive 1: Place and secure the structures on the seabed, ensuring stability,
- Dive 2: Plant new coral fragments onto the structures to promote reef recovery.
March: 3 RMCG members conducted the first maintenance and progress monitoring of the AICB coral reef rehabilitation structures. They inspected the structures, ensured its stability, and measured the growth of tagged corals. Results: the corals showed good growth, indicating a positive recovery trend.
March: 7 RMCG members installed a boundary marker at the Turtle Snorkeling Area in Teluk Dalam in preparation for the 2025 tourism season. This marks the second year of RMCG managing the area, continuing an initiative originally introduced by RCM during their first year in Redang. The boundary marker was established in response to the increasing number of turtle deaths caused by boat strikes, aiming to protect marine life and ensure safer snorkeling activities.

Coral fragments on the newly deployed reef rehabilitation structures

RMCG member securing the boundary line marker at the Turtle Snorkeling Area