Building Resilience for Long Term Reef Health

Resilience? Again?

Yes, those of you who have read my posts before will notice that I have talked about resilience before (here and here). So why am I speaking about it again?

Because I believe that ensuring our reefs – and other marine ecosystems – are resilient is critical to protecting their long-term health and productivity.

And our recently released annual survey report suggests that we are not paying sufficient attention to looking after these important marine resources.

It becomes imperative as signs are showing that there will be a significant mass coral bleaching event sooner than you think.

What is Coral reef resilience?

A brief recap. Ecological resilience refers to the ability of an ecosystem (such as a coral reef) to maintain key functions and processes in the face of external stresses or pressures, by resisting or adapting to change.

Glad we got that sorted out! Put more simply – it determines whether an ecosystem can either shrug off or recover from, an external stressor…or whether the ecosystem declines.

Status of Coral Reef in Malaysia

Reef Check Malaysia’s early survey data for Malaysia demonstrate the resilience of coral reefs. The graph below shows the change in a key reef health indicator, Live Coral Cover (LCC), since we started collecting data.

The status of reef health in Malaysia from 2007 - 2023.

What is coral bleaching?

In 2010, Malaysia (and most of South-East Asia) suffered a major coral bleaching event. Coral bleaching refers to a stress reaction by corals when they expel the tiny algae living in their tissues. Those algae provide the coral with its colour, hence the term “bleached” when they lose the algae, exposing the white calcium carbonate skeleton underneath.

A coral bleached loses its colour.

More importantly, those algae provide the coral with most of its food – so when bleached, they are effectively on a starvation diet. The longer the stressor lasts, the weaker the coral and the greater the possibility that corals will die.

In 2010-2011, our survey data show a major decline in live coral cover (LCC) in Malaysia compared to 2009. Around 7-8% of coral cover was lost. That’s not to say that 7 or 8% of reefs died – other reef components survived. However, the ecosystem as a whole was weakened as a result of hard coral dying due to the bleaching.

Fortunately, reefs recovered very quickly, and LCC was back to its pre-bleaching level within 2-3 years. This demonstrates the natural resilience of reefs – they can recover from an external stressor.

the decline in live coral cover

Sadly, the following years saw a gradual decline in LCC, which we take as a proxy for coral reef health. Between about 2014 and 2019, overall LCC in Malaysia dropped from around 50% to 43%.

The annual decline was too small to garner much attention. But look at it this way: a reduction of seven percentage points over just 5 years is a 14% decline overall. I’m too scared to extrapolate that into the future…

The declining status of reef health in Malaysia from 2014-2019.

We assumed that this decline was at least partly due to growth in tourism globally, as the world slowly emerged from the 2008 financial crash (yes, it took that long!).

We have long been aware of tourism as a major threat to marine ecosystems such as coral reefs due to the wide range of impacts – coastal development, trash, pollution, and physical impacts – that result from large numbers of people in a small place. Again the question: are we managing these ecosystems effectively?

The COVID years

What happened next is a sign that not all is lost – but it also points to the need to manage reefs better, particularly focusing on resilience. And to look again at tourism impacts.

Between 2019 and 2022, there was an increase in LCC. Why? We believe that this was because of the COVID pandemic, which reduced tourism to nearly zero for two years. Remember – there are three main characteristics of resilience:

• Water quality

• Physical impacts

• Herbivores

It doesn’t take much insight to realise that no tourists are going to reduce physical impacts, for sure. And probably see an improvement in water quality – less pollution. Restrictions on fishing during the pandemic might also have improved fish populations, particularly the herbivores that keep algae under control.

There are three main characteristics of resilience water quality, physical impacts, herbivores

So, why coral reef resilience again?

Yes, reefs recovered in the absence of a major local stressor – tourism. But why am I back to resilience?

Because in 2023, our surveys showed another downturn in LCC. We think this is at least partly due to the resurgence in tourism, having the same old negative impacts on reefs.

The old stressors are back, leaving reefs that little bit more vulnerable to an external stressor…

coral Bleaching in 2024?

…an external stressor that we are pretty sure is just around the corner.

All the signs are that there will be a significant mass coral bleaching event this year.

what is mass coral bleaching?

“Mass coral bleaching” means bleaching over a wide area – this will not just affect Malaysia, but as in 2010 it is likely to affect the whole of South East Asia. Australia’s Great Barrier Reef is already bleaching and satellite data from NOAA show sea surface temperatures around the region are rising.

As noted above, this is a significant stressor for corals. My colleagues are informing me that sea temperatures are already 2-3°C higher than usual.

That’s pretty scary. And, forecasts from NOAA show that over the next few weeks, temperatures will remain elevated for an extended period. Perhaps enough to cause coral mortality.

A screenshot of NOAA's prediction for March-July 2024

So, it seems our coral reefs – which, let’s not forget, provide a whole range of essential ecosystem services that we rely on – are facing a difficult few months.

What can we do to stop mass coral bleaching?

Unfortunately, there is very little we can do once a bleaching event is happening – we can’t magically improve water quality; it is difficult to replace herbivore fish real quick…and telling tourists not to turn up is obviously a non-starter!

But we can – and should – try to minimise these impacts; at the least, we can protect important reef sites by closing access to tourists – which was done back in 2010.

But the real lesson here, as mentioned in our annual report recommendations, is that we need a long-term effort to build resilience – because this is going to happen again.

What we need is…

• We need to restructure marine resource management across the board so that management involves all stakeholders. Only that way will people buy-in to the necessary solutions.

• We need better sewage treatment systems on the islands.

• We need to control fishing properly.

• We need to manage new developments in sensitive areas.

• We need more education and awareness for tourists. That’s going to take a multi-stakeholder effort.

Coral maintenance with the Kulapuan Marine Conservation Group.

The 2010 bleaching event was difficult to manage because it was unexpected. This time we have some warning, and we might be able to manage the immediate threats more effectively.

But the real story is – are we, as a society, going to do what is necessary to build resilience in the long term? Are we all going to address ways in which we can strengthen marine resource management? Are we all going to make the necessary investments to allow us to protect and conserve these important marine ecosystems?

We need to restructure marine resource management across the board so that management involves all stakeholders. Only that way will people buy-in to the necessary solutions. We need better sewage treatment systems on the islands; we need to control fishing properly; we need to manage new developments in sensitive areas; and we need more education and awareness for tourists. That’s going to take a multi-stakeholder effort.

And while you are here - here is our 2023 annual corporate report for your reading pleasure!!

How Resilient is Malaysia’s Tourism Model?

Happy Global Tourism Resilience Day!

Tourism is in the news again. It’s Global Tourism Resilience Day on Saturday (more below), which is a nice juxtaposition to recent local happenings.

Just a few days ago (11th February), the Malay Mail carried an article with the headline, “Tourism Malaysia confident of achieving the target of 27.3 million foreign tourist arrivals in 2024, says DG”.

I think we’ve had this discussion before!!

Sustainable tourism can contribute to the three dimensions of sustainable development and the achievement of the SDGs.

The problem with that number of tourists

First, we need to look very carefully at those numbers. There’s no question that COVID  had a huge impact on tourism numbers – goes without saying. But even pre-COVID, I would argue that the numbers just didn’t add up, and I suspect they still don’t.

Digging around the topic, I found an article in The Star on 3rd December 2023 which quoted visitor numbers for 2023. Of a total of 26 million tourist arrivals to Malaysia from January 1st to November 15th, “the most number of tourists were from Singapore at 12.6 million”.

So, here’s a simple fact-check for you.

Divide that figure by 365 and then 24, and you have 1,438 people arriving from Singapore every hour of every day last year. If they are tourists and arriving from Singapore via JB, that would require 36 forty-seater buses leaving JB every hour…about one every 2 minutes. I’ve travelled from Singapore to Malaysia, and it can get busy…but not THAT busy!

are they all tourists?

Ok, there are a couple of assumptions in there, but you get my drift. The point is: are they all tourists? And if not…how many actually ARE tourists, and how many are crossing the border – either way – to work?

This has great importance for the tourism industry, because if we are planning for 26 million but only getting (say) half of that, then –

1. our tourists are worth twice as much as we thought they were, yet we run the risk of not meeting the expectations of people who are actually spending more than we realise; but on the other hand

2. we are building infrastructure for twice as many people as are coming, with all the impacts that has!

This leads to a second and more important point: with all the emphasis on the numbers of tourists, rather than the economic value they generate, I fear we are missing out on some critical questions.

Such as: what do tourists want?

There are plenty of surveys about tourism trends – and many of them say that people are looking for less crowded, more “authentic” experiences. And yet, we are hearing already about crowding at some destinations.

Such as: what impact does tourism have on communities and ecosystems?

Mass tourists create crowded streets in KL – and crowded beaches on the islands. More waste; more physical impacts. To what extent can the islands and their ecosystems withstand this constant onslaught?

Our waste management programme on Mantanani Island was started to tackle the lack of waste management on the island.

Such as: who is tourism for?

Did anyone ask the people living in those tourist attractions, such as the islands off the East Coast, what they want from tourism? Do the people of Tioman want new resorts? Do the people of Perhentian want a seaplane facility? Do the people of Semporna want hundreds of tourists flocking through the town to visit – fleetingly – the islands?

Villagers of Kampung Paya, Tioman Island, celebrated the success of the ‘No New Tioman Airport’ campaign.

Such as: what’s the cost-benefit analysis?

Is our tourism model economically worthwhile, or is it just creating lots of money for big businesses…but low-level jobs for local communities? What different models are available, and should we be looking at investing in  high-end, eco- and sustainable tourism models? After all – Malaysia is a mega-biodiverse country; maybe people will pay handsomely to come and see those attractions…but in small groups, of course!!

The Green Fins standard for dive shops is an example of a sustainable tourism module.

who is in charge of tourism?

And finally – who is in charge?

Who is monitoring the numbers of tourists visiting fragile ecosystems, who is assessing the changes that result – to both ecosystems AND communities; and who is asking – how many is enough?

At the end of the day, all I’m saying is this – and I know I’ve said it before but I think it bears repeating: whatever tourism model Malaysia decides to adopt, let’s do it with eyes open and an understanding of the positive AND negative influences of tourism.

If we want to adopt a “mass-tourism” model, let’s be honest about the impact that is going to have – that way, we can at least mitigate some of the negative impacts.

what does tourism resilience mean?

And ironically – this Saturday, 17th February, is Global Tourism Resilience Day.

Given that tourism is an important piece of the economy in Malaysia, and given its documented impacts on “people and place” – host communities and the ecosystems they live in – I was interested to read about what resilient tourism is and why it is important.

For many countries, tourism is a major source of income, foreign currency earnings, tax revenue and employment. Because tourism connects people with nature, sustainable tourism can spur environmental responsibility. Sustainable tourism can contribute to the three dimensions of sustainable development and the achievement of the SDGs.

Global Tourism Resilience Day (17 February), proclaimed by the UN General Assembly, aims to emphasize the need to foster resilient tourism development. In this way, tourism – and the benefits it brings – can be insulated from shocks and emergencies, allowing it to recover more quickly.

We just had a bit of a shock.

As Malaysia’s tourism is fast recovering, should we be asking whether it is resilient? Are we planning to build back better, and develop a tourism industry that is sympathetic to people and place? Or will it be more of a business-as-usual approach, with all the attendant challenges that brings?

Reef Check Malaysia Welcoming 2024

Our vision remains the same: sustainably managed coral reefs in Malaysia.

If 2023 ended with a flurry of activity, 2024 has started with a bang!

Some years come to a quiet end as programmes are put on hold during the monsoon season. Not so 2023!

All our teams, in their various locations, continued to be busy right to the end of the year. Ground-truthing surveys for a new remote sensing system in Semporna; capacity building for the new Redang Marine Conservation Group (RMCG); and seagrass monitoring in Johor – all continued well after the end of the usual “season” marked by the onset of the Northeast monsoon in October.

Seagrass monitoring in the South of Johor

2023 saw continued progress in our various long-term conservation efforts. Our main focus is to replicate the success of the Tioman Marine Conservation Group (TMCG), and we are working to build up similar teams in Redang, Perhentian, Mersing and Semporna.

In each location, we are building capacity among local communities to participate in conservation programmes, including reef monitoring, predator control and reef rehabilitation. These efforts align strongly with the Global Biodiversity Framework, particularly targets 3, 19 and 22, which provides us with a roadmap to ensure our work remains relevant and impactful.

Redang Marine Conservation Group (RMCG) doing coral rehabilitation

 Target 3, the so-called “30x30 target”, calls for 30% of marine areas to be protected by 2030. The Department of Fisheries is investigating opportunities to expand Marine Protected Areas in Peninsular Malaysia, and Sabah Parks and Sarawak Forestry Corporation are making similar efforts in those two states.

But there is a “second half” to target 3, which refers to the need to ensure protected areas are “effectively conserved and managed” through “equitably governed” systems that ensure the rights of local communities are protected. Similarly, target 22 calls for the inclusion of Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities (IPLCs) in the management of protected areas.

Taken together, we interpret these two targets to indicate that local communities should take a more central role in managing Marine Parks, and our various community-based conservation programmes are very much in line with this aspiration. Our biggest challenge is ensuring sufficient capacity among local communities to empower them to fulfil this role effectively.

The newly established Larapan Marine Conservation Group wastes no time in restoring coral reefs

Closely related to this is the second challenge we face, which is the need to transform the current approach to management to ensure that local communities – and other key stakeholders – are provided with opportunities to play a meaningful role in management through appropriate bodies.

Community consultations on management of Tioman Island Marine Park

The current management system is very “top-down”; we are trying to encourage a more flexible and inclusive approach that will meet the needs of targets 3 and 23. This could involve new approaches to management and new institutions – and should include all stakeholders, such as State governments and tourism players.

Ensuring we have sufficient funds to continue our work is always a challenge! We have been incredibly lucky to have the support of a number of large organisations in Malaysia over the years – in one case, for 10 years!

GBF target 19 could help with this. The target calls for an increase in financial resources to protect biodiversity, and we can already see early signs that international funding agencies are showing interest in investing in biodiversity conservation in Malaysia. This includes both philanthropic funding from corporations and foundations, but also the emerging field of nature-based solutions that will leverage funding through carbon and, more exciting, biodiversity credits. It’s a very new field, but we are working to understand how we might benefit from these new approaches to funding biodiversity conservation.

This fits well with our growing understanding that we can’t look at individual ecosystems in isolation. Coral reefs are just one marine ecosystem that needs to be conserved; but reefs are ecologically very closely linked to mangroves and seagrasses, the health of one affecting the health of the others. So, we are increasingly taking a more holistic view of marine resource management to include these other ecosystems in our conservation programmes.

And now we enter 2024 firing on all cylinders. Our vision remains the same: sustainably managed coral reefs in Malaysia. This year, we hope to make further progress on integrating communities into management and developing sustainable funding for long-term conservation.

We are looking forward to 2024 with quite some anticipation; join us on our journey!

As always, I would like to thank our various supporters, from funders to volunteers. We would not be able to achieve the conservation results we are seeing without a lot of support; you are what makes RCM the success it has become.

Cintai Redang: October - December 2023

Our colleagues on Redang recently signed an MoU with SK Redang in October 2023. This marks the start of a collaboration between us and the school. We also had the opportunity to meet some of the students, who were eager to find out about our activities. The school allowed us to display five educational posters at the school to kickstart this project. We expect to begin actively conducting educational programmes in the school in 2024.

RCM colleagues (both on the right) with teacher of SK Redang after signing the MoU

Students excitedly checking out the posters

As we are eager to expand the Green Fins programme to Redang Island, our colleagues conducted assessments at a few registered SCUBA Diving shops on the island. The Green Fins membership is free, and the assessment will help ensure the dive shops adhere to the 15 Point Code of Conduct and carry out their dive or snorkel operations in an environmentally-friendly manner. More information on Green Fins can be found at https://greenfins.net.

A briefing done during the Green Fins assessment

Owners and staff of the dive shops attending a Green Fins meeting with RCM

To further our efforts in reef conservation in Redang, RCM partnered with Laguna Resort Redang and Universiti Malaysia Terengganu (UMT), under the Reef Care programme. As Reef Care partners, the resort and UMT recently conducted reef rehabilitation efforts on the island. Our Redang Marine Conservation Group (RMCG) also participated in this effort, as it enabled them to gain knowledge and master the skills related to rehabilitation of reefs.

Reef rehabilitation briefing with UMT

Collection of coral nubbins for reef rehabilitation activities

At the end of October, our Cintai Redang colleagues attended participatory management session together with ‘Majlis Pengurusan Taman Negeri Terengganu’, with regards to the gazettement of Pulau Rhu as a State Park. The meeting, held at the Pejabat Daerah Besut was conducted to discuss the feedback and next steps to be taken by the respective parties and stakeholders, as well as address any other matters regarding this project. More meetings will be held in the future, to ensure the gazettement process runs smoothly. In mid-November, RCM and RMCG representatives met with ‘Majlis Pengurusan Taman Negeri Terengganu’ once again. This discussion focused on sharing of opinion regarding the management plan that can be implemented. This plan will help increase the focus of the state government towards protecting the environment in Terengganu.

Discussion for gazettement of Pulau Rhu

Management plan meeting with Majlis Pengurusan Taman Negeri Terengganu

Our RMCG team has busied themselves this last quarter. Upon receiving reports of ghost nets stuck to reefs at a dive site, the team worked together to remove the nets, which also had some crabs entangled to it too. The ghost nets, weighing 40kg was successfully removed and handed over to the Department of Fisheries to be disposed. They have also been conducting regular, scheduled monitoring, maintenance and data collection of coral growth at the reef rehabilitation sites. At the end of the year, the RMCG team, together with some local youths, attended a short course conducted by our RCM colleague on Redang. They were exposed to topics that covered coral reef ecology, Crown of Thorns starfish (COTs), coral reef restoration, coral bleaching and ghost nets.

RMCG members working together to remove the ghost net

Growth of corals at the reef rehabilitation site

RCM colleague, Asma, conducting the learning course

Some of the participants of the short learning course

East Malaysia Happenings: October - December 2023

CINTAI MANTANANI

Our “Homestays Improvement Program” that we began in Mantanani has been progressing rather well. After several training sessions with the local homestay owners, they were equipped with better skills to run their business. The two-year project called “Establishing Community-Based Eco-Tourism in Mantanani”, funded by GEF SGP UNDP Malaysia, ended in 2022. Since then, the businesses have been running and generating quite good income for the local owners. The total income in 2023 alone was close to RM60,000, which is almost three times more than the income in 2021! The total number of tourists who used the homestays also increased from 124 people in 2021, to 425 people in 2022, to 665 in 2023!

Group photo with homestay guests

In mid-November, 60 bundles of compressed plastic (22,039 bottles) weighing 407 kg and metal cans weighing 110 kg, were sent to the mainland and collected by recycling company (GNC). The company paid RM 177.10 for these recyclables and this money was used to cover the cost of truck transportation from Kota Kinabalu, which was RM150. This did not include the cost of RM1,000 to rent a boat to transport these items to the mainland.

RCM staff, Diana, collecting the bottles on a weekly basis

Bottles collected are compressed before being sent to the mainland

As for the waste management programme, more than 1,800 kg of trash collected in the last three months of 2023 was transported out of the island to the Kayu Madang landfill area.  We’re still facing the problem of costs with regards to our effort in transporting recyclables and other waste. If you have any suggestion on how we could manage it in a more cost-efficient manner, do get in touch with us!

Trash being sent out of the island to Kayu Madang landfill

KOTA KINABALU

In October, the Sabah Conference on Community-Based Marine Resource Management, was held in Sandakan. It was co-hosted by the Sabah Forestry Department in collaboration with WWF-Malaysia, Forever Sabah, PACOS Trust and RCM. There was a good turnout at this conference, including  representatives from Sabah Parks, Department of Fisheries Malaysia, Sabah Biodiversity Centre and other relevant government agencies, as well as representatives from local coastal and island communities, besides our RCM colleagues. The purpose of the event was to streamline efforts in expanding the protection of Sabah’s marine environment. A mapping exercise during the conference also revealed that there are 17 coastal community groups in Sabah that are protecting more than 12K hectares of marine and coastal areas. Fauzi represented RCM to deliver a presentation on “Building Resilience through Empowering Local Community”. 

Fauzi sharing about local community empowerment in Semporna

RCM staff with some of the representatives from the local and island community

In November, RCM and WWF-Malaysia conducted the annual Reef Check surveys, in 18 sites around Tun Mustapha Park. Besides our RCM colleagues, we had EcoDivers from the local community groups, Banggi Corals Conservation Society and Kudat Turtle Conservation Society. While conducting the survey, the team also removed two ghost nets from two different sites.

In December, our colleague Calvin represented RCM at the Darvel Bay Zoning Plan Workshop organised by Sabah Parks, where RCM contributes our annual survey data.

A diver conducting the Reef Check survey in Tun Mustapha Park

The team with one of the ghost nets removed during the survey

SEMPORNA

In October, a 10-day physical training on MARS Assisted Reef Restoration System (MARRS) was conducted in Selakan Island. This was a continuation to the online series of training on MARRS methods, delivered by MARS trainers from Indonesia. 7 participants successfully completed the training, and will undergo a final competency evaluation before being certified as a MARS trained personnel. Certified MARS trainers will be able to conduct coral restoration projects using the MARRS method in the future.

At the end the training, 290 MARS Reef Stars with 4,350 coral fragments were successfully deployed at the damaged reef of Selakan Island. We also witnessed the participation of the Selakan community from different backgrounds and ages, especially during the preparation which involved sand coating the Reef Star, tying the coral fragments and deploying the Reef Star to the selected sites. Additionally, the training also included coral awareness talk and social survey training to obtain the perception of the local community on coral restoration efforts in Selakan.

Coral tying process

Deployment of the reef stars

Our colleagues have also been organising training courses for several stakeholders. An advanced open water (AOW) course and rescue diver course was conducted for 8 youths from Mabul, Larapan and Kulapuan Islands. The training was held as part of the IKI coral restoration programmes on these three islands, to provide deeper knowledge and skills necessary to help prevent diving accidents, recognize life threatening diving situations, perform or supervise in-water rescues, manage rescue operations and provide post-rescue aid.

In December, trainers from RCM, Reef Guardian and Kudat conducted an EcoDiver training course for 8 Selakan Youth and 2 Sabah Parks staff. The 3-day training consists of theoretical and practical sessions, as well as written assessments.

Underwater navigation skill during the Rescue Diver course Water course

EcoDiver instructor conducting pointy dives with a student

Our RCM colleagues, in collaboration with Sabah Parks, organised a 3-day Sabah Reef Resilience Workshop in Semporna, which was attended by 22 participants from different agencies and organisations. During the workshop which was conducted by Alvin, an experienced trainer from RCM, we focused on the importance of reef resilience, survey specifications and methodologies based on refined indicators adopted from NOAA. Participants also had the opportunity to visit Selakan Island, to learn and familiarise themselves with the methods and underwater indicators, supervised by a trainer. To end the workshop, participants conducted reef resilience assessments at two sites within Tun Sakaran Marine Parks as part of the survey training. 

Following the Reef Resilience Workshop and EcoDiver Training, the divers from the Selakan Marine Conservation Group, along with RCM’s team from Tioman and Kota Kinabalu, and several divers from local island conservation group conducted reef resilience surveys in Tun Sakaran Marine Park. A total of 15 reef sites with two depths were assessed within the park, using methods and underwater indicators learnt during the workshop.

Theory class sessions

RCM trainer demonstration the survey method

Our colleagues have also been conducting several Coral Restoration Training sessions, which have been a pivotal part of Reef Check Malaysia's community empowerment project. This was made possible through the generous support of our primary funders, the IKI Small Grant Programmes, and the collaborative efforts of community-based organizations in Semporna. One of our final sessions of this community-based coral restoration project was with the youth from Kulapuan, Larapan, and Mabul.

Our primary objective was to introduce at least four coral restoration methods on their respective islands, guiding the youths as they learn about coral nurseries and concrete blocks (bottle reef/rebar) methods. The youth successfully completed all training sessions, affixing 621 "coral cookies" on the Coral Culture Table, and tying 30 additional fragments to the concrete block (bottle reef/rebar). Looking ahead to the next year, each team is poised to expand their coral restoration efforts on their respective islands, applying the knowledge gained from this year's training session.

In our recent discussions, we delved into the long-term vision for community organization and explored sustainable financing mechanisms, particularly through the innovative Semporna Coral Adoption Programme. This forward-thinking approach aims to ensure the continued success of coral rehabilitation efforts, fostering a self-sustaining model that empowers local communities.

Concrete block with glass bottles and rebar, with coral fragments on them

Coral cookies

Local youths at the coral restoration site

Planning for coral restoration project on their islands

Cintai Mersing: October - December 2023

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.

RCM team removing a ghost net at Pulau Aur

TIC diver injecting vinegar on COTs

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.

Two newly certified EcoDivers (centre) with RCM trainers

EcoDiver participants during the survey training

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.

Group discussions among the students

Field trip and snorkelling activity

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.

Group photo with participants during the workshop

Representatives of different stakeholder groups engaging in group discussions

Cintai Tioman: October - December 2023

In the last 3 months of 2023, our colleagues successfully removed ghost nets from the coral reefs at Bahara Island, with a weight of 300kg. Throughout 2023, we’ve received numerous complaints  regarding these nets entangled in the reefs of Tioman. The total weight of the nets we’ve retrieved from the sea in 2023 is 6,191 kg. The cleanup of these ghost nets are usually carried out in collaboration with TMCG members, local villagers, and scuba diving shops.

Besides clearing ghost nets, our team has also been carrying out Crown of Thorns (COTs) population monitoring and control activities in Air Batang and Teluk Tedau together with TMCG members and Tioman residents. A total of 1, 498 animals were euthanized in 2023. This is done to ensure the reefs of Tioman do not suffer due to the predatory nature of COTs.

Divers removing ghost nets stuck to reefs

Injecting COTs to before removing them from reefs

Our team also carried out 4 environmental awareness programs in schools on Tioman, bringing the total number of awareness programs conducted throughout the year to 14. The sessions encompassed indoor learning and visits to various habitats and ecosystems. Our Tioman colleagues also had the pleasure of sharing about the work we do to a group of students from the International School Kuala Lumpur (ISKL). The students were brought for a visit to Rumah Hijau, and helped with the recycling of glass bottles to build reef rehabilitation structures. They also had the opportunity to carry out a beach cleaning activity and make batik designs with a local batik maker.

Group photo with students involved in the environmental awareness programme on Tioman

ISKL students helping with glass recycling efforts

Wrapping Up 2023 and Looking Forward to 2024

Reflections on COP 28

COP 28 did reach an agreement – which seemed unlikely just 2-3 days ago! Is it strong enough to push the urgent changes needed to restrict global heating to the 1.5oC scientists tell us is necessary?

That remains to be seen.

But at least a stronger link between climate change and biodiversity is finally being acknowledged. We hope to see increased efforts to conserve ecosystems that are critical for the well-being of coastal communities – not to mention national food security, coastal zone protection, jobs in tourism – all these things we take more or less for granted.

Thanks, coral reefs…

A Review of 2023

All of which provides a nice backdrop for a quick round-off of 2023 and a peek at what might await us in 2024.

2023 has been a very interesting year for RCM. On Tioman, our amazing Tioman Marine Conservation Group continues to protect reefs around the island. Eighty villagers have established teams in all seven villages and are conducting regular conservation programmes.

TMCG members helping with the installation of a mooring buoy

Any review of 2023 has to include mention of the successful campaign to oppose the development of a new airport on Tioman, thanks to support from many quarters! And that has created an opportunity to start a conversation about what sort of tourism we want, what is sustainable and what is appropriate for the local situation.

This is a topic we come back to time and time again.

Tioman Islander’s Position on Tourism

Tioman islanders do support tourism – but they also express strong views that enough is enough, and they don’t want to see more – the airport would potentially have increased visitor numbers four-fold!!! It’s a conversation we are having more and more in other areas, where local communities are starting to understand the negative side of ever-growing visitor numbers.

Perhaps it’s time for a review of tourism strategy in Malaysia?

We have developed stronger programmes on Redang island, in Mersing and in the Semporna islands. In each location, we work with local communities to address marine conservation issues. In Redang, we are replicating the success of the Tioman Marine Conservation Group, and there is already a lot of interest from local villagers.

RMCG members cleaning up ghost nets

In Semporna, we are working on a number of islands, helping local communities look at waste management issues and marine resource conservation. We are also working with the State government on a large coral reef rehabilitation trial, and preparing management plans for 12 islands that could pave the way for better protection of marine resources in the area.

Coral maintenance of 250 reef stars that has been deployed in Tun Sakaran Marine Park

So, our programmes go from strength to strength, and the team continues to do an amazing job!

But what awaits us in 2024?

Unfortunately, we are likely to start the year on a negative note. All the signs are that we will have a significant bleaching event early in 2024.

The recent switch in the El Nino/La Nina weather patterns in the Pacific is likely to cause increased water temperatures in Malaysian waters, which could lead to widespread coral bleaching. Even now, our colleagues in Sabah are reporting warmer water than usual. That is something to watch out for early in the New Year.

All of which makes it even more important that we continue to implement projects that protect reefs and build resilience.

The Global Biodiversity Framework Targets

The Global Biodiversity Framework agreed at COP 15 (no, the other one!!) in Montreal last December provides us with a great roadmap, and we are focusing on several targets:

Target 3 – the 30x30 target, which talks about increasing the area of marine resources under management…and the second bit everyone forgets about – improving the management of existing MPAs.

(On a side note, I am working with colleagues in Thailand, Vietnam and the Philippines…and during a conversation this week, we came to the conclusion that each country faces the same challenges with its MPAs – lack of funding, lack of management capacity and insufficient participation by local communities. (It’s nice to know we are not alone!)

Target 7 – reducing pollution to levels that are not harmful to biodiversity; specific emphasis on sewage pollution in coastal areas.

Target 8 – minimising the impact of climate change on biodiversity and increasing resilience.

Target 19 – increase funding for biodiversity conservation, including blended finance and private sector funding.

Target 22 – ensure representation by Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities (IPLCs) in decisions relating to protected areas.

We will be using these targets as a guideline to both improve our existing programmes and to develop new programmes.

I am particularly excited by the opportunities that are emerging from new biodiversity financing schemes, including biodiversity and nature credit initiatives. We have been following these closely this year, and will continue to do so next year. If successful, these initiatives could unlock long-term funding for our programmes, and I hope to make substantial progress in this area during 2024 – watch this space!

So that’s it from us in 2023. Have a safe and enjoyable holiday season, and see you back here in January 2024!

Working towards a healthy and thriving reefs

Cintai Redang: July - September 2023

Ever since we began the Redang Marine Conservation Group (RMCG) to replicate the efforts and success of the Tioman Marine Conservation Group (TMCG), the members of RMCG have been carrying out activities on the island while also attending courses to gain new skills that will help them in their daily tasks.

Knowledge sharing programme that RMCG participated in

In the last quarter, they participated in the Pre-Hospital Care & Basic Life Support Service Readiness programme organised by the Terengganu State Health Department. The skills acquired by RMCG in this program can help their level of response when facing emergency situations on the island.

RMCG learning first aid skill

RMCG learning the CPR technique

The RMCG members also had the opportunity to be involved in a knowledge-sharing session with an expert from the University Malaysia Terengganu (UMT), Dr James Tan and with other volunteer divers. The whole team then deployed 30 coral blocks for their coral restoration work.

Coral blocks that have been placed

We thank the organiser for extending an invitation to us and RMCG and for putting in the work to restore our coral reefs. Our team and RMCG will actively monitor and conduct maintenance work on these coral block, while recording growth data on a monthly basis. This is done to ensure the best possible growth of the corals.

RMCG members had the opportunity to participate in a knowledge sharing session

The team, along with RMCG members, have conducted Reef Check surveys in Pulau Tenggol, Pulau Redang and Pulau Bidong & Yu.

At Pulau Tenggol, 6 locations were surveyed with the help of 6 volunteers, including RMCG members, Dungun Escapade Resort and our EcoDivers.

In Pulau Redang itself, RMCG members with EcoDiver volunteers surveyed 12 sites to check the health of the coral reef in the area, with help and support from the Department of Fisheries (DoF).

Reef Check survey at Pulau Tenggol

Reef Check survey with RCM’s ambassadors

Cintai Tioman: July - September 2023

A diver replanting corals on reusable glass bottles

In the third quarter of this year, our team on Tioman received several conservation volunteers from various sponsors and organisations, among which were Ambank Group, Ministry of Higher Education, SC Johnson & Sons (M) Sdn Bhd, Etika Sdn Bhd, KOSE, MIX FM & MY FM, and Mitsubishi Motors Malaysia.

Our colleague organised several activities, such as replanting of corals using reusable glass bottles. Approximately 700 corals were saved through this activity. Beach clean-up activities were conducted at Monkey Bay and Benut Bay, where 220kg of rubbish and 700kg of ghost nets were collected.

Volunteers preparing coral block

Ghost nets continue to “haunt” the waters of Tioman, as 1,266kg of these nets were removed from waters around Teluk Tedau, Teluk Bakau dan Teluk Nipah.

These discarded ghost nets found floating in the sea will entangle marine animals, causing them to eventually die from drowning, besides potentially cause damage to healthy coral reefs. 

The removal of these nets were done together by members of the TMCG, local villagers and SCUBA Dive shops on the island.

A diver removing a ghost net caught on reefs

A few divers carrying the ghost nets collected, to dispose them

Our education programme with the students on the island continues, as our team visited two schools in the past quarter, talking about coral reefs, coastal ecosystems, and bats, which are a part of the ecosystem on Tioman.

Our colleagues also visited a few SCUBA Dive shops to conduct the Green Fins evaluation.

Green Fins members agreed to adhere to a 15-point Code of Conduct to reduce the negative impacts of divers and the diving industry on the marine environment. For more information, please visit https://greenfins.net/countries/malaysia.

Education and awareness programme in school

Green Fins evaluation with a dive shop on the island

In July, the Reef Check surveys were successfully completed in 18 sites around Tioman Island, with assistance from the Department of Fisheries on Tioman Island, volunteer EcoDivers and TMCG members.

Based on the surveys this year, it has been recorded that the reefs around Tioman are dominated by live coral cover - most of them being hard corals. These reef builders were recorded at 60.76% coverage, showing that the reefs around Tioman are healthy.

An EcoDiver conducting one of the surveys around Tioman

Our colleagues on the island were also campaigning against the proposed construction of the new airport on the island.

In July and August, they conducted meetings with the local villagers of Genting and Paya to explain to them the findings of the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) Report. The villagers were constantly kept up to date with any progress, until the decision to cancel this construction was announced by the government.

Meeting with the local villagers regarding the airport proposal

Villagers of Kg Genting and Paya, Tioman Island celebrating the decision

Cintai Kepulauan Mersing: July - September 2023

In the past quarter, our team has successfully completed the Reef Check surveys around the Mersing Islands for 2023.

A total of 36 sites were surveyed, with the help and support of the Johor’s Department of Fisheries (DoF), as well as the local island communities and organisations.

Reef Check surveys in the Mersing Islands are complete

Three representatives of the Pulau Besar community have recently been trained and certified as “EcoDivers”.

During the training, they familiarised themselves with monitoring methods and indicators, including targeted fish species, invertebrates, and coral cover.

This training programme is part of Reef Check Malaysia's (RCM) ongoing initiative to equip island communities with the relevant skills to actively participate in marine conservation efforts in the Mersing islands.

Practical dive exercise led by an RCM diver

Pulau Besar community that is trained to be EcoDivers

Following our recent meeting with the Pulau Tinggi villagers, 20 households agreed to participate in a community recycling programme and manage their recyclables on a rotation basis beginning next month.

56 recycling bins were constructed with the help of the island community themselves. These bins will be used to collect household recyclables (primarily tin, glass, and plastic materials).

The Pulau Tinggi islanders showed great interest in this programme, inspired by the success of the recycling initiative in Pulau Sibu. A recycling centre was opened in Pulau Sibu in August last year, and today, it is equipped with a baler machine.

Islanders preparing the bins

We conducted a workshop on the stranding and necropsy of turtles and marine mammals, held at Pulau Sibu and Pulau Tinggi.

This programme was done in collaboration with Johor’s DoF, Rantau Abang Fisheries Research Institute and The MareCet Research Organization.

Members of the authorities in Mersing from the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency, Marine Police and Malaysia Civil Defence Force, together with Tengah Island Conservation, participated in the programme.

Participants of the workshop at Pulau Tinggi

The workshop covered theoretical knowledge about the various turtle species and marine mammals found in Malaysian waters, as well as practical exercises. Participants engaged in a stranding simulation to learn the necessary responses when a stranding incident occurs. Additionally, participants took part in a necropsy exercise involving a post-mortem examination of turtles to determine their causes of death.

Participants prepare to conduct post-mortem examination

East Malaysia Happenings: July - September 2023

Kota Kinabalu

In July, RCM conducted a 3rd waste management workshop with the participants of the pilot waste management in Kg. Baru-Baru, sponsored by Coca Cola.

The program presented the achievements throughout the 3-month trial period and also addresses the challenges moving forward through a two-way discussion with the participants. All of them showed high intentions on continuing the program to make their village a better place.

Our Sabah team also conducted a workshop with the youths from Kg. Panji, Kg. Puyut and Kg Air, Lahad Datu, to teach them about proper trash disposal methods and also how to creatively upscale used materials into a profitable or usable product. This workshop was organised by Kelab Belia Tinagayan and was part of the program “Komuniti Hijau Kitar Semula Lahad Datu”.

Youths showing their creative side during the workshop in Lahad Datu

Our colleague, Nadhirah, speaking at the workshop in Kg. Baru Baru

At the end of August, our colleagues in Sabah presented their findings from the Darvel Bay Expedition, which was conducted in October 2022. The seminar was joined by other governmental and NGO organisations such as Sabah Parks, WWF, and UCSF. The findings from the seminar will be used as baseline data for the management of Darvel Bay moving forward when it is gazetted into a marine park.

Nadhirah, presenting the findings on behalf of RCM

Cintai Mantanani

The waste management programme introduced a couple of years ago continues to show great progress and is helping the locals deal with the issue of trash on the island.

In September, a total of 1412.9kg of trash collected since July 2023 was transported out of the island and sent to the landfill in Kayu Madang. We’re still seeking better solutions in the long run with regard to the transportation of trash out of the island and its costs.

This includes working with local authorities and the state government. We’d love to hear from you on any suggestions you may have to offer to help us solve this issue!

Bags of trash, ready to be transported out of the island

Our Cintai Mantanani team was also busy completing an order of 400 magnets, made by Coca-Cola, who are one of our sponsors. These magnets are made from recycled plastic bottle caps which are melted and moulded into the desired shape.

The magnets that are made from melted plastic bottle caps

In 2022, we completed a two-year project called “Establishing Community-Based Eco-Tourism in Mantanani”, funded by GEF SGP UNDP Malaysia.

One of the program components is the Homestays Improvement Program, whereby the Homestay operators are taught to improve their quality and services. The project has paid off quite well, as the earnings of these homestays have increased every year, with the amount earned thus far in 2023 being more than half of the earnings just two years ago in 2021.

Semporna

Our Sabahan colleagues have been conducting and attending several trainings in this past quarter. Some of them include:

An EcoDiver training was conducted at Mabul Island involving 11 youths from Mabul and four EcoDiver trainers. The training is part of the Marine Conservation Dive Training, a youth empowerment project by Reef Check Malaysia, funded by the CIMB Foundation.

Participants during the EcoDiver training

A coral bleaching monitoring training for youths in Mabul and Larapan, also part of the Marine Conservation Dive Training funded by CIMB Foundation.

The training involved 15 youths from the Mabul and Larapan communities and 4 RCM trainers. The training used the standardized method of Reef Check Survey using line transect and photo quadrat to estimate bleaching in coral reef colonies and population.

Practical session during the bleaching monitoring training

A first-ever workshop on gender equality was conducted in partnership with the Society for Equality, Respect and Trust for All Sabah (SERATA) and Green Semporna.

50 youths from Mabul, Kulapuan and Larapan Islands joined the workshop

The workshop was participated by 50 youths from Mabul, Kulapuan and Larapan Islands who engaged in empowering sessions on tackling gender stereotypes and addressing inclusive gender participation in marine conservation efforts.

The program was also participated by women from Tioman Marine Conservation Group (TMCG), who shared their experiences working in marine conservation work in Tioman Island.

The program is part of the ongoing marine conservation empowerment activities funded by the International Climate Initiative (IKI) Small Grants.

The first ever workshop on gender equality

RCM staff participated in a series of online trainings on Reef Star Welding. These MARRS Reef Star frames that are to be used for the project has to be made by trained welders.

These local welders were taught about the suitable materials used for the frames, the angle of the steel and all other requirements for the frames to be used.

The next training was to introduce the items and equipment that will be used for the coral restoration project, from the preparation process and site assessment until the deployment of the MARRS Reef Stars.

The third training in this series was on site selection, while the fourth focused on MARRS coral restoration techniques.

Training in progress for MARSS restoration technique

Our colleagues have also been working with local schools in Semporna, conducting education and awareness programmes among primary and secondary students.

The main topic focused on was plastic pollution, which is an issue around Semporna. SC Johnson funds this education programme, and we also had representatives from Green Semporna join us on a few of these activities. In total, our team visited 4 schools in the last quarter.

Our colleague in action during a school awareness programme

Is Malaysia Becoming A Mass Tourism Destination?

Overcrowded islands are going to downgrade the tourist experience.

First it was Tioman and the proposal for a new airport. Then there were rumblings about extending the airport at Redang…then we heard about two new resorts at Perhentian Island…and the latest – a proposal for a seaplane facility on Perhentian.

What on earth is going on?

In case I really need to say it again: RCM has never been against development.

We understand that tourism is an important part of the economy. We understand that tourism is important for jobs, particularly local communities in remote areas.

But this upsurge in development proposals post-covid is becoming a concern. I have written separately about my recent experience on Tioman, seeing so many tourists arriving in a small village. If nothing else, the islands are becoming overcrowded; that’s going to downgrade the tourist’s experience. And maybe they won’t come back – and worse, there’s a risk they will tell others of their poor experience.

Picture of overcrowded jetty taken by our team on Tioman island.

And what about that promise of jobs for islanders?

One resort I visited has restaurants, shops, bars, and water sports…tourists don’t need to leave the resort to find these services - which the villagers used to provide. Now, they are being provided in-house. Often by staff brought in from outside.

The locals are now either jobless or having to work for those big resorts…no longer their own bosses, no longer running a family enterprise, no longer in control.

Someone else has come to their island and displaced them.

If Malaysia wants to be a mass-market destination, so be it.

If that is the decision, we respect that. But a decision like that should be very deliberate, it should be carefully thought out – not an accident caused by a lack of controls over resort development and growing tourist numbers.

Are over-crowded beaches and tourism sites what we want?

MOTAC and Tourism Malaysia might be pleased to see increasing visitor numbers. But are the islanders? Are the local communities? And what about the impact of all those visitors on ecosystems? 

Covid provided an opportunity to take another look at tourism, and to ask ourselves: “Who is tourism for?”

It is looking increasingly like it isn’t for local communities who find themselves besieged by huge numbers of tourists. As the islanders on Tioman told us during our consultations on the proposed airport – “enough is enough”.

Is this the direction in which Malaysia wants its tourism to go?

Over-crowded beaches and tourism sites, more and more resort development (“container resorts”, I kid you not – resorts built out of old shipping containers), local islanders left behind by full-service resorts?

Or should we re-visit that post-covid conversation and explore other opportunities – lower volume, higher value tourism that looks for pristine, quiet, peaceful, authentic experiences – which, I have said before, we have plenty of...for now.

Kunming Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework: Target 22

Local communities should be involved in decisions on the management of natural resources that may affect their livelihoods

After a busy few months focusing on a proposed airport development on Tioman Island, it’s appropriate to return to the post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF) to look at some of the Targets that inform our work.

Target 22 is particularly relevant.

IPLCs role is increasingly recognised

One of the most important developments coming out of the Kunming-Montreal treaty negotiations – and one which was demonstrably important in the Tioman campaign – was the growing acknowledgement of the important role played by Indigenous People and Local Communities (IPLCs) in biodiversity conservation.

Target 22 of the GBF reads:

“Ensure the full, equitable, inclusive, effective and gender-responsive representation and participation in decision-making, and access to justice and information related to biodiversity by indigenous peoples and local communities, respecting their cultures and their rights over lands, territories, resources, and traditional knowledge, as well as by women and girls, children and youth, and persons with disabilities and ensure the full protection of environmental human rights defenders.”

In simpler language, local communities should be involved in decisions on the management of natural resources that may affect their livelihoods. In practice, what this means is that they should have a voice in the management of protected areas.

Real-life example

We were recently involved in a collaborative effort to lobby against a proposed airport development at Tioman Island. That effort demonstrates just how important it is to have systems in place that ensure local communities are involved in decision-making, particularly on issues that affect their futures.

Once we started working on the airport campaign, it quickly became clear that many people in the local communities affected had little or no knowledge about the proposed project. This is a project that would have essentially closed down two communities that rely on tourism; over 20 resorts and 400 people would have been affected.

In the context of Target 22, we have to ask: Were local communities consulted about the proposed development?

Apparently, yes.

But was this the sort of “full, equitable, inclusive effective and gender-responsive representation and participation in decision-making” that Target 22 envisages?

It seems not.

Their vocal opposition to the development, once they were fully informed as Target 22 stipulated, was critical in persuading the planning authorities, and eventually the government, to abandon the plan.

Our team held a community engagement session to explain the EIA of the proposal for the new Tioman Airport.

Link to policy

The idea of involving local communities in decision-making on natural resources management is incorporated into several relevant policies and agreements in Malaysia.

On a national level, the National Policy on Biological Diversity speaks about strengthening the role of indigenous peoples and local communities in biodiversity conservation. The 12th Malaysia Plan refers to “imperatives for reform and transformation”.

In addition, Malaysia has adopted the Sustainable Development Goals, which specifically mention inclusivity in Target 16.6 (develop effective, accountable and transparent institutions at all levels) and Target 16.7 (ensure responsive, inclusive, participatory and representative decision-making at all levels).

Despite this, progress still needs to be made to ensure the full and informed participation of IPLCs in decision-making on marine resource management. Two challenges in particular need to be addressed: structures and functions.

Structures and functions

One of the key challenges is simply the lack of appropriate bodies for IPLCs to join. Management of marine resources in Malaysia is centralised, and there is no institution that provides a “place at the table” for IPLCs.

The Marine Parks Advisory Council includes members from various government agencies, from State governments and from selected NGOs. But no membership for local communities.

On the ground, the Marine Park centres on the islands are managed and operated by Marine Park staff; there is no local consultative body. Previously, a Community Consultative Committee was proposed but never operationalised.

At the other end of the spectrum is the tendency of bureaucratic institutions to gather functions to themselves rather than to delegate those activities to others.

This is not restricted to Malaysia, but it does represent a considerable barrier to greater participation of IPLCs in decision-making. This is why it is our practice to conduct consultations when developing new projects, to learn what communities need and to understand what outcomes we are seeking. This has implications for project plans and budgets.

Community consultation was done to improve our conservation initiatives in Mersing

Reef Care – a way forward

And this is why we are so excited to be a strategic partner of the Department of Fisheries in the Reef Care programme. Because Reef Care overcomes both the above challenges at the same time:

• In establishing the Reef Care programme, the DoF has addressed the lack of an appropriate institution for local community representation. The community groups that we support on several islands are the communities participating in management and decision-making.

• At the same time, Reef Care gives the community partner some responsibility for coral reef conservation, taking on some of the duties and responsibilities of the managing agency. So, the DoF has, in fact, divested itself of some responsibilities.

The Tioman Marine Conservation Group (TMCG) is pointing the way. Over 80 members of the local community are participating in coral conservation programmes, from removing ghost nets to coral rehabilitation and annual monitoring surveys. You can read the TMCG 2022 report here.

We have recently established a similar group on Redang Island, the RMCG, and we are working in two other locations in Peninsular Malaysia and in the south of Sabah on similar programmes. You can read the Q1/Q2 Cintai Redang Newsletter here.

In each location, we build capacity among the local community in marine resource management; funding from donors and corporate partners allows us to pay operating costs as well as allowances to local community members when they participate in programmes so that we can incentivise their participation.

RMCG members consist of Redang islanders who we train to do conservation work with us

Thus, Reef Care is providing an opportunity to actually implement policy in real life, contributing not only to national policy but also to the SDGs and the GBF. We look forward to rolling out the programme in other areas and to ensuring IPLCs are increasingly engaged in marine resource conservation.

Tioman Airport Decision: A Watershed in Biodiversity Conservation?

The decision last week by the Malaysian government to shelve the proposed airport development on Tioman island is both welcome, and timely, for many reasons.

Conserving Tioman’s natural resources

The most immediate and important reason, of course, is that it paves the way for conserving Tioman Island in its current, largely pristine state. This in itself is a good thing considering the island’s abundant biodiversity resources which, as the world is now (belatedly?) realising, need to be protected.

Tioman Island's beautiful coral reef.

This endeavour would be challenging with a new airport bringing more visitors, and all the consequent impacts that would result from more resort development, more roads and infrastructure, more waste…you get the picture.

So, it is a great start.

But perhaps this opens up so many other opportunities to review old decisions, made with old information and out-of-date thinking, that are just not appropriate in the world as it is today.

If that sounds like hyperbole, then consider the following.

Tourism trends in the post-COVID world

Whither tourism? I’ve talked about this before, particularly focusing on the impacts of large numbers of visitors on people and places.

We saw this in Mantanani Island, where visitor numbers increased, over a 10-year period, from around 50 per day to as many as three thousand per day: clearly not sustainable, with huge impacts on ecosystems and the local community.

Numerous industry surveys tell us that “tourists” are now looking for more “authentic” experiences, less crowded, with intact nature, the whole thing. Quiet, private, pristine.

But which “tourists” are those?

Last week I saw a video of an “island” crawling with tourists. All there for the ultimate Instagram Moment – white sand, perfect blue sea, islands in the distance…and with careful camera angles, the 200 other people sharing the sandbank can be kept out of the shot!!

Apparently, when asked about such crowded destinations, many respondents said, “it’s ok, we don’t mind – we are used to it”. So clearly, not all tourists are seeking a “private commune” with nature.

I am probably over-simplifying, but can we really segment the tourism industry in this way?

Can we separate out tourists looking for the quiet, nature-focused getaway and tourists who don’t mind more crowded destinations?

And if we can, what are the characteristics of each group in terms of expectations, duration of stay, and spending, for example? Are people looking for the authentic experience willing to pay more – and if so, how much more?

Such an experience suggests more intensive management efforts and limits on visitor numbers – it’s going to be expensive.

So, the tourist will have to pay for it. Thailand is certainly moving in this direction, away from beach/sea holidays to more nature-based tourism. There must be a value proposition for them.

Tourism in Malaysia

Which leads us to the question: which of the above groups is Malaysia targeting?

Because it seems to me that if the division is real, then targeting one group or the other should be a deliberate choice.

You either cater for small-scale, niche market tourists, with appropriate facilities and infrastructure – and charge accordingly. Or you go large-scale, mass tourism, again with appropriate facilities and infrastructure – and charge accordingly for that, too.

Clearly, there are huge implications in this choice for destinations, and the East Coast islands are among the most popular destinations in Malaysia.

Is the plan to drastically increase tourism numbers? Or is it to target the group looking for an authentic experience? Because islands like Tioman have that – in spades. If the former case, yes, we will probably need new infrastructure, including resorts and transportation. If the latter – maybe less development. 

Who makes the decision? On what basis? What research has been done?

I guess what I’m saying is that now might be a good time for Malaysia to rethink its tourism strategy and decide which of these markets to target. Because I don’t think you can cater to both in the same destination; it has to be a deliberate decision.

After all – from a revenue perspective, a hundred tourists paying RM 1,000 per trip brings in the same revenue as one thousand tourists paying RM 100 per visit…but with different challenges.

Managing Marine Parks

While we are reviewing our approach to tourism, maybe it is an appropriate moment to review the approach to Marine Park management. This is because the islands that are surrounded by Marine Parks are popular tourism destinations, and they have what both groups are looking for.

Under the current regime, the Federal government looks after the Marine Park – the doughnut of water surrounding the island; the State governments are responsible for managing the islands themselves.

Which introduces a conflict situation.

State governments don’t have much incentive to protect the sea because they aren’t responsible for it, so perhaps they want to develop tourism. But the Federal government doesn’t have control of development on the islands that might damage the marine resources in the sea…you can see where that ends up.

Perhaps the time has come to review this system.

How about integrating the management of the Marine Park and the islands? How about inviting State governments to participate in managing the Marine Parks so they also get some benefit from that?

In this way, development on the islands can be coordinated with protecting the marine resources – not to mention the terrestrial resources, too.

And while we are at it – let’s give a seat at the table to the local communities living on the islands, too! There is plenty of evidence that local communities make an important contribution to marine resource management where they have a chance to do so – and our own experience on Tioman reflects this.

The Tioman Marine Conservation Group (TMCG) is made up of local islanders.

Biodiversity financing

The final piece of the jigsaw: financing.

The recently signed Kunming-Montreal Post 2020 Global Biodiversity Framework (the GBF) calls for urgent action to protect biodiversity. Importantly it speaks at length about funding for biodiversity conservation, acknowledging the estimated funding gap of US$ 700 billion per year that has been highlighted as one of the key challenges facing us.

There are emerging biodiversity-based financing mechanisms that could release significant funds for biodiversity conservation from the private sector – funds that government just don’t have themselves.

These so-called “biodiversity credits” could be a game-changer in funding biodiversity conservation. Yes, there are risks, and yes, much work needs to be done to introduce appropriate regulations and standards, but on balance, I would say there are some interesting things happening that we are following very closely.

A catalyst for change

All the above ideas and suggestions are strongly supported by policies in Malaysia.

On a national level, the National Policy on Biological Diversity 2016 – 2025 speaks about Malaysia’s commitment to conserving its biodiversity; the 12th Malaysia Plan includes commitments to safeguard natural capital.

In addition, Malaysia has adopted two international agreements: the Sustainable Development Goals, which call for sustainable management of ecosystems, and the recently-signed Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF), which includes commitments to increase protected areas and reduce biodiversity loss.

The above agreements and policies talk extensively about funding for conservation and the role of local communities.

And here’s what that made me think.

Looking at through this lens of change I am outlining; the bigger context of the brave decision announced last week by the Environment Minister, YB Nik Nazri, starts to look even more important.

Imagine it leading to this scenario – a new paradigm in which:

• Fewer tourists visit protected areas but bring the same economic value as mass tourism;

• Protected areas are sustainably managed by all stakeholders, including local communities, for long-term conservation goals;

• Private sector funds are invested alongside government funds.

Joined up, collaborative management.

What’s not to like?

Cintai Tioman: April - June 2023

In May, PEDI Kg Tekek donated several computers to our team, five of which were handed over to Sekolah Kebangsaan Mukut. Meanwhile, Rimba had donated reading materials on bats to SK Mukut to help increase the students’ knowledge about this species. During this last quarter, our school education programmes have also been running as usual, with the students of SK Tekek and SK Juara, covering topics such as Biodiversity and Climate Change.

Donation of computers to the school

Students during one of the educational programmes

From May 19 to 21, Yayasan Sime Darby ran a volunteer program with RCM Tioman, carrying out activities such as construction of recycling bins and coral pots as well as the cleaning of beaches. A total of 18 recycling bins were built and the 21 coral pots produced were to be used in coral replanting. The volunteers who conducted the beach clean-up collected an estimated 440kg of rubbish from Monkey Bay.

YSD team volunteering with Cintai Tioman team.

Our colleagues have been working on monitoring and culling the Crown-of-Thorns (COTs) population. In April, with the help of the TMCG and local islanders, 977 COTs were captured and removed from Teluk Tedau, Teluk Kador and Malang Rock.

The TMCG members were also involved in adding 13 coral pots to the existing reef nursery site. This is in addition to the scheduled monitoring and cleaning work on all our reef rehabilitation sites, to ensure the corals grow well. As mentioned in our previous newsletter, ghost nets have been, and still is a problem in Tioman. This quarter alone, an estimated total of 26 nets weighing 4405kg were successfully removed with Department of Fisheries, TMCG and local islanders. These nets had already done some damage to the reefs in Kg Nipah, Kg Genting, and Japamala.

A member of TMCG monitoring the reef rehabilitation site

Removal of ghost nets in progress

Cintai Mersing: April - June 2023

In April, our Mersing colleagues successfully documented coral spawning events in the Mersing islands. Coral spawning is a rare occurrence of only once or twice a year. whereby corals reproduce by releasing their eggs and sperm simultaneously into the water. Once fertilised, the larvae travel to different locations, attach to suitable substrates and then establish new coral colonies.

We used the “bottle trap” method to trap some coral eggs from selected coral colonies at Pulau Sibu and Pulau Tinggi. This unique observation of coral spawning provides us with an understanding of how coral reefs grow and expand.

A bottle tied to a coral reef area (bottle trap method)

Bottle trap after one week

Similar to Tioman, the waters around Mersing also have seen their fair share of ghost nets. Just this quarter alone, our team removed a whopping 301kg of ghost nets from multiple reef locations around Pulau Sibu Kukus, Pulau Pemanggil and Pulau Aur. These underwater clean-ups were made successful with strong collaboration with local stakeholders and partners. Watch how we conduct our underwater clean-ups here.

A diver removing one of the ghost nets found

Our colleagues also organised a ‘Food Handling Training Course’, as part of our efforts to upskill the island communities and promote sustainable economic development in the Mersing Islands. 36 members of the island community from Pulau Pemanggil and Pulau Aur joined this course, which helped equip them with proper knowledge and various skills in the area of food handling.

Participants listening intently during the Food Handling Course

East Malaysia Happenings: April - June 2023

Cintai Mantanani

The waste management programme introduced a couple of years ago has developed very well, with amazing reception from the local community. In mid-May, all wastes weighing around 455.8 kg (except for food waste) were transported out to the mainland. We’ve also made 15 new wire mesh bins for trash collection, to replace the old bins that were damaged by storms. These new bins have been placed in safe spots around the village.

Meanwhile, in mid-June, 36 bundles of compressed plastics weighing 407 kg, as well as metal cans weighing 110 kg, were sent to the mainland and collected by a recycling company (GNC). The company paid RM 120.50 for the plastic bottles and cans, and this money was used to cover the cost of truck transportation from Kota Kinabalu, which is RM120.

One main issue with the waste management programme is the total cost of transporting all the wastes and recyclables to the mainland. One boat trip will cost us RM800 to RM1000. Once at mainland, the truck transportation to the landfill in Kayu Madang could amount to approximately RM120. While this initiative helps us deal with the issue of waste on Mantanani Island, the total costs has proven to be quite taxing for our team. We’re seeking for better solutions in the long run, with regards to the transportation of trash. This includes working with local authorities and the state government. We’d love to hear from you, on any suggestions you may have to offer to help us solve this issue.

New wire mesh bins

One of the boats (lansa) used to send out trash and recyclables

In 2022, our colleagues on the island completed a two-year project, ‘Establishing Community-Based Eco-Tourism in Mantanani’, funded by GEF SGP UNDP Malaysia. One of the program components was the Homestays Improvement Program, where we work closely with homestay operators to improve their homestays’ services and quality. A series of capacity-building trainings, mentoring, and repair grants was distributed to the homestays involved, most of which are run by the local women. These homestays have been doing very well, and their annual income has significantly increased since 2021.

Meal served at the homestay

First meeting of the ladies of the homestay programme in 2023

Adzmin from RCM conducting the classroom training

Semporna

In the first quarter of 2023, our colleagues conducted 2 introductory workshops and open water/ advanced open water trainings. The training was part of the year-long Conservation Diving Training program funded by CIMB Foundation, a program designed to train and develop the capacity building and leadership skills among youths from Larapan Island and Mabul Island in marine conservation works particularly on coral reefs. In this last quarter, we followed up an Ecodiver training, involving 15 youths and 5 trainers. This three-day training enables participants to be involved in Reef Check surveys.

Underwater training session to identify indicators

Building frames during the Reef Rehabilitation training programme in Larapan

On the 25th of May 2023, RCM held a Waste Management Awareness Programme at Larapan Island, joined by WWF-Malaysia and Green Semporna. The half-day programme covered topics such as introduction to waste management, the process and current achievements, as well as knowledge on plastic materials. Activities such as quizzes and lucky draws were conducted, as well as a session to hear suggestions and feedback from the representatives of the community.

Workshop in progress in Kg. Baru-Baru

In June, our colleagues organised a training programme on Reef Rehabilitation in Larapan Island, which aimed to provide knowledge and skills as well as instil a sense of responsibility to protect the reefs around the island. A total of 25 participants and 3 staff from RCM were involved. We hope this training will allow encourage the local islanders to take initiatives and manage their own reefs in the future.

Local community giving feedback during the Waste Management Awareness Programme

Materials to be distributed to the villagers

Kota Kinabalu

In the first quarter of 2023, we kick-started a waste management and recycling programme in Kg. Baru-Baru, Tuaran by organising a clean-up, a workshop and consultation sessions with the local residents. In May, we conducted a second waste management workshop to teach participants how to identify and segregate the types of waste to be collected, and also launch the 3-month trial period of the waste management and recycling program in the village. A total of 100 eager households participated in the first phase of this program. The Kg. Baru Baru Pilot Waste Management is moving towards building a proper waste collection center to allow facilities to be placed in the village, making waste collection more efficient and manageable.

Workshop in progress in Kg. Baru-Baru

Materials to be distributed to the villagers

Cintai Redang: April - June 2023

The 6 local youths who are members of the Redang Marine Conservation Group (RMCG) were recently trained as Open-Water (OA) divers. This dive course was sponsored by RCM, as the team will be busy with many dive-related day-to-day tasks. We will slowly be equipping the team with necessary skills that will be beneficial for them and the work that they will be undertaking around their own island.

 The team also conducted ghost nets removal around the island, collecting approximately 230kg of nets in a span of just over a month. This was done in collaboration with the Department of Fisheries (DoF).  

Few of the RMCG members after completing their AOW dive course

RMCG members during a net removal activity

Nuance or Sledgehammer: What’s the Best Communication Technique?

It’s not often that epistemology, empiricism and the use and descriptions of words, and how they are used, creeps into my pieces. But today it did. A little.

I was reading this piece in the Guardian while sipping my morning tea:

The headline for the article reads:

As heat records break, the climate movement has the right answers – but the words are all wrong

Do read it, it’s worth the time. The piece goes on to talk about how the fossil fuel industry has spent lots of money countering scientific arguments about climate change, so it could continue “business as usual”…even though it knew about the dangers posed by greenhouse gasses many years ago. And that the climate movement, while being “in the right”, has failed to convince many people of its cause because it was using the wrong words. Ooops.

Result? We are heading towards a real, genuine crisis, but the general public are still not mobilised due to…well, read the article – it says it better than I can.

Tioman Island is under threat.

It made me think (heavy stuff over a morning cup of tea, but hey, it’s a Saturday): do we at Reef Check Malaysia really – I mean, really – communicate with people? Do our messages truly reach people, and – much more important – cause them to act?

So here’s the problem. The plan to build an airport on Tioman Island has surfaced again. This thing has been going on since I moved to Malaysia in 1998 (yup, last century!!), so it is a long-running saga. It has been on again, off again for over 25 years. At one point, it was cancelled; then it reappeared again…we honestly thought it had gone away for good last year, but…like that old bad penny, it just keeps coming back.

And, of course, we are against the idea, as we were several times in the past when it raised its ugly head.

Pause for background – Tioman is the largest island off the East coast of Peninsular Malaysia. It’s about 50km from the coast, measures 20km north to south and anything from 5-12km east to west. It has a local population of 4,700 living in 7 villages, and attracts over 250,000 tourists per year. It has intact rainforest, endemic and endangered species, and some of the healthiest coral reefs in Malaysia.

It’s a biodiversity gem.

It’s mountainous – the highest point is 1,000m, and what little flat land there is has already been mainly occupied by the villages.

So why are we against the airport?

Are we one of those anti-development NGOs, always crying foul when development proposals come along?

No.

I think our track record shows that we don’t complain willy-nilly about new resorts, for example. Have we lobbied for careful development?? Of course, we have. No point trashing the very nature that you are trying to attract people to when you are building the darn thing.

But anti-development? No.

So, we must be anti-tourism, then?

Again, no.

We haven’t complained too much about tourism growth in some areas. Have we lobbied for sustainable tourism development? Of course, we have.

We train local guides to be Eco-Friendly Snorkelling Guides (EFSG)

In my view, “sustainable tourism” is just another way of saying “sensible tourism” – I’ve long advocated for a tourism industry that is more sensitive to the needs of both local communities and ecosystems.

Who is tourism for – tourists or the local communities that could benefit from their presence?

Take Mantanani Island as an example. A small remote island off the West coast of Sabah, it is home to a conservative, traditional fishing community of about 1,000 people. Tourism is relatively new on the island.

When we started working there in about 2012, there were only 50-day trippers visiting. By the end of 2019, pre-covid, that had increased to as many as 3,000 per day. Does anyone really think that increasing the number of day trippers to Mananani to 3,000 per day is sustainable?

Ok, so what about communities? Obviously, we don’t think much about them either, if we keep speaking up against new tourism infrastructure that brings more people. More people = good for business, right?

Let me tell you one of the dark secrets of tourism development – the fallacy that “more tourism means more jobs for local communities”. Supporters of tourism – government Ministries, developers, resort operators, etc., like to talk about the economic benefits that tourism brings – the number of jobs it will create is a common claim.

But…really?

On Mantanani Island, tour operators used to bring most of their staff with them on their day trips. Jobs for the locals were just sweeping up the leaves. Better than nothing, you say?

I suppose…but how about helping them to develop their own tourism market – community-based tourism, for example (which we helped develop on Mantanani)? Brings in money direct to the community – and a better experience for the tourist, too, who isn’t surrounded by huge groups of people.

Or Tioman Island. One of my colleagues, who is based on the island assures me that everyone on the island that wants a job has one. And during busy periods, all the resorts are full; all the restaurants are full, all the boats are full...so how is bringing more tourists going to make things better? In fact, all it is going to do is put even more stress on a system that is already stressed – infrastructure, people, ecosystems, etc.

Any jobs created will be for people from outside the island.

So yes, jobs will be created. But let’s stop pretending that tourism is creating jobs just for locals. Not in a relatively mature market like Tioman.

Is anyone convinced yet? That the airport should not go ahead? To save biodiversity? Because tourism doesn’t help local communities? Because the islands are full already?

Or are these arguments too complex?

Back to the article.

It talks about the success of simple slogans – mainly three or four words: “Get Brexit Done”; “Make America Great Again”. There are others. And they work – just look at what happened in those two countries…although one might question whether what was promised was really delivered.

The article talks about the “enlightenment fallacy”: the belief that the facts will persuade all by themselves. They don’t need to be repeated or simplified; their sheer truth will prevail.

Maybe that’s where we are going wrong. Maybe we should forget the nuances, stop writing articles trying to explain ourselves, and just run campaigns with simple messages that garner support – never mind the facts.

So here goes – pick your favourite, and let us know which speaks to you the most:

Stop Tioman Airport

Don’t Destroy Tioman

Save Nature – No Airport

People Not Profit

The proposed new Tioman Airport will cause a huge loss of biodiversity. (Picture from the EIA)

I could go on. You get the point.

Yes, I’m angry.

At a time when the international community is (finally!!) starting to realise how important biodiversity is, we are considering a project that will trash a significant biodiversity resource – an asset, if you will.

Regardless of which slogan would move you to action, one of them should. Because the simple fact is that this new airport will significantly harm Tioman and its communities and its biodiversity, over time.

So, help us out.

Sign the petition to stop the airport. Or, make a comment on the EIA.

Nature needs your support.