Protect Coral Reefs in Malaysia

Anchor plays an important role in shipping industry. It is drop to the bottom to prevent the ship or boat from drifting away due to wind and currents. However, using an anchor can be devastating if it is drop in a coral reef area. Corals are easily broken as the anchor hits the corals or the anchor line gets dragged along the bottom. Not only that, other marine flora and fauna living at the bottom of the sea will also be affected.

By installing mooring buoy and mooring line at dive sites, boatmen do not have to drop anchor on the reef, they just need to tie their boats to the mooring buoy or mooring line. This prevent reefs damage. There were plenty of mooring buoys and mooring lines installed around Tioman Island, unfortunately, a lot of the buoys were damaged during monsoon season and some were cut loose and removed by illegal fishermen.

With the end of monsoon season and beginning of diving season, Reef Check Malaysia together with Department of Fisheries Pahang, Tioman Marine Conservation Group and Tioman Dive Association installed a total of 14 mooring buoys and mooring lines around Tioman Island, replacing lost one as well as adding new one.

In order to reduce pressure on the reefs and seeing the abundance of coconut trees on Mantanani Island, producing and selling Virgin Coconut Oil as an alternative livelihood was introduced to Mantanani locals.

Prior to this project, coconut oil was produced on the island for personal use. With this project, for the first time, Mantanani locals managed to produce, market and sell to buyers, both on the island and mainland. Despite of this, the locals still need to find ways and better equipment to produce Virgin Coconut Oil that can last longer. Our team on Mantanani island are looking into these matters and working closely with the locals to help them in this venture.