27-Mar-24 15:00

Julian Hyde, General Manager, Reef Check Malaysia

In Terengganu's Pulau Redang, the community is actively engaged in protecting their marine ecosystem, particularly focusing on coral reef restoration with the support of Reef Check Malaysia and the Redang Marine Conservation Group (RMCG). Six locals trained by Reef Check Malaysia's Cintai Redang team have achieved significant milestones within a year, including rescuing 750 coral fragments, removing 274 kg of ghost nets, and eliminating 89 Crown-of-Thorns starfish (COTS). They've also established partnerships with local schools and developed a national community-based Coral Rehabilitation Toolkit, aimed at guiding communities in coral conservation efforts, which has been piloted successfully. Supported by various organisations and funded by the National Conservation Trust Fund, the toolkit offers comprehensive strategies for assessing, rehabilitating, and sustaining coral reefs, including community engagement and tourist involvement for long-term sustainability. We find out more about this conservation success from Julian Hyde, the General Manager of Reef Check Malaysia.