Annual Reef Check Surveys

Here is a quick recap of the surveys we conducted in the last quarter around Sabah: 

• October: Completion of the annual Reef Check survey at Turtle Island Park by RCM, Sabah Parks and CMCGs from Semporna. Observations showed that the corals remained resilient and healthy despite the low visibility and showed little impacts from last year’s mass coral bleaching
• October: Completion of the The Tun Mustapha Park Reef Check Survey, jointly organised and conducted by RCM, WWF-Malaysia, and Sabah Parks, with participation from the newly trained EcoDivers from Tajau Laut and BCCS. Observations from the survey indicated an increase in Humphead Wrasse sightings but also a notable rise in fish bombing activities, particularly at Fairway Shoal, where eight explosions were recorded during the dive.
• November: Surveys in Sipadan Park was lead by RCM’s Adzmin. We observed an abundance of reef fishes including the napoleon humphead wrasse and sea turtles.
• November: Completion of Tunku Abdul Rahman Park surveys by RCM and Sabah Parks. Findings show that live coral cover has not recovered from the 2024 mass coral bleaching event. However, fish and invertebrate populations — particularly giant clams — remain stable, indicating that the reefs are still maintaining their ecological function.

A diver noting down the fish count during a survey

KOTA KINABALU

Working Alongside Stakeholders

Our colleagues in Kota Kinabalu have been actively working with several stakeholders in this last quarter, including government agencies. We’ve participated in many meetings and conferences, including:

1. The ASEAN Blue Economy Forum 2025, hosted by Ministry of Economy and Sabah Maju Jaya Secretariat. We shared our efforts with Dato YB Dato Hajjah Hanifah, the Deputy Minister of Economy Malaysia and other agencies. Our community-led projects were also mentioned by the Asia Foundation during their presentation.

2. RCM’s Calvin attended the SEEN Members 2025 Meeting to strengthen collaboration between government agencies, the private sector, and NGOs on environmental education in Sabah. This year, SEEN introduced six education modules and two interactive games, with discussions also highlighting waste management and members’ interest in visiting RCM’s waste management sites to learn and explore possible replication.

3. RCM’s Nadhirah, joined the Anti Fish Bombing (AFB) Programme organised by the Department of Fisheries Sabah with support from WWF-Malaysia. The session brought together key stakeholders to address the ongoing threat of blast fishing and highlighted new solutions, including acoustic detection and community-led monitoring, which are already reducing incidents in areas such as Tun Mustapha Park and Semporna.

4. RCM’s Nadhirah, took part in the Behaviour Change Campaign on Turtle Egg Consumption workshop. Organised by the Sabah Wildlife Department with support from WWF-Malaysia and partners, the workshop focused on developing an evidence-based campaign, guided by a UMS study, to reduce turtle egg consumption through targeted messaging on public health, legal awareness, and sea turtle conservation.

We’re also proud to announce that 10 participants from the Tajau Laut community in Kudat successfully completed the Eco-Friendly Snorkelling Guide (EFSG) training programme.  The training included an Emergency First Response (EFR) module and basic water rescue skills, which will assist the participants in providing safer and responsible snorkelling experiences to support local ecotourism.

Mad (LMCG member) presenting their experience on sea patrolling

MANTANANI ISLAND

Education Programmes

Our colleague Diana conducted several school programmes in the last quarter of 2025 to build environmental awareness among students:

– 68 students attended a talk titled “Kitar Semula: Tanggungjawab Kita Semua”, which highlighted the importance of recycling and how simple daily actions can help protect the environment.

– 30 selected students took part in the “Flora and Fauna” programme, where they explored the rich biodiversity around them and learned why protecting the island’s natural ecosystem matters.

– Students from Year 1 to Year 6 attended a talk titled “From the Ocean to the Table: The Real Impact of Microplastic”, delivered to raise awareness on microplastic pollution and its impact on marine life and human health.

A classrom education session

Community-Led Initiatives

From September to November, 1,803.1 kg of mixed waste, including plastics, was collected and transported to the mainland for proper disposal. Between January and November, 80,802 bottles were also collected for recycling, preventing large amounts of plastic waste from entering the ocean. In addition, 22 households with poor waste management scorecards were engaged, where large family sizes, especially those with young children, were identified as a key challenge to proper waste separation. These engagements helped us identify households needing further support, with follow-up actions planned, including weekly engagement and assisted waste collection to improve compliance and waste separation practices.

From January to November, Homestay Mantanani generated RM72,900 in accommodation income from 688 local and international visitors, contributing to the local economy while supporting small-scale tourism, cultural exchange, and awareness of the island’s natural and cultural attractions.

Some of the homestay guests with the operator (left)