Sabah to step up enforcement after fish bombing incident that damaged coral reefs
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Two craters were found, believed to have been caused by the fish bomb explosions in the coral reef restoration area.
PHOTO: PEXELS
KOTA KINABALU - Firm action will be taken against the culprits responsible for a fish bombing incident at a coral reef restoration site in Pulau Selakan under the Tun Sakaran Marine Park (TSMP) in Semporna, Sabah.
State Tourism, Culture and Environment Minister Jafry Ariffin said he had also ordered the Sabah Parks management to review and strengthen strategic measures to step up enforcement operations.
“Action will be taken against any party found to have violated relevant laws to ensure Sabah’s biodiversity heritage remains preserved for future generations,” he said.
Initial monitoring by the Community Marine Conservation Group (CMCG) on May 23 found two craters believed to have been caused by fish bomb explosions in the reef restoration area.
Monitoring carried out by the TSMP Marine Research Unit, together with Reef Check Malaysia and CMCG, confirmed that the incident caused serious destruction to the marine ecosystem in the area.
Mr Jafry said the suspects are believed to have fled before enforcement teams arrived.
In terms of losses and conservation impact, Mr Jafry said initial estimates show that maintenance and rehabilitation costs for the affected area will reach around RM96,000 (S$30,950), in addition to damage to reef star structures, estimated at about RM3,000.
“Ecosystem service evaluation also indicated that the area holds very high ecological and marine resource value,” he added. THE STAR/ ASIA NEWS NETWORK
