Awareness Programs with Local Communities

Between July and September, two community awareness programmes were held to promote marine conservation in the Mersing Islands. Over 100 visitors visited Reef Check Malaysia’s exhibition booth to learn about local initiatives. We also thank the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) for collaborating with the Endau community, and eight teachers from SK Taman Merdeka, Melaka for joining the Edu-Marine Programme at SK Pulau Sibu.

A “Blindfold Recycling” activity was held with the Pulau Tinggi community and school, involving 11 families. In this fun game, participants worked in pairs (one blindfolded) to collect and sort waste into recyclable and non-recyclable categories within five minutes. The activity promoted teamwork while raising awareness on proper waste segregation and better waste management practices on the island.

Participants during the “Blindfold Recycling” game

Keeping Mersing’s Reef Safe

A certified Green Fins Assessor evaluated dive operators in the Mersing Islands against the 15-point Green Fins Code of Conduct. Two operators earned Silver Membership status for 2025, recognising their commitment to sustainable diving and coral reef protection.

Between July to September, our team successfully conducted eight underwater clean-up activities at Pulau Aur, Pulau Dayang, Pulau Gual and Pulau Harimau. A total of 159.2kg of ghost nets and marine debris were removed, while 47 Crown-of-thorns starfish were culled using vinegar injections to protect the marine ecosystem. This initiative was made possible through the support of the Department of Fisheries Malaysia (DoF), along with the dedicated members of the Mersing Marine Conservation Group (MMCG) and Tengah Island Conservation (TIC).

A diver injecting crown-of-thorns starfish with vinegar