Terengganu: Three coral reef zones in Terengganu have been identified as worst-hit by coral bleaching in Malaysia this year, according to the latest data on the country's marine ecosystem monitoring.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, Malaysian Marine Science Society (MSMS) president Affendi Yang Amri said due to rising sea surface temperatures, Pulau Redang recorded 100 percent bleaching with a coral mortality rate of 63.6 percent, making it the worst-hit location so far.

This was followed by marine park islands like Pasir Besar in Pulau Lang Tengah, which recorded a bleaching rate of 88.7 percent and a mortality rate of 56.8 percent, while Seringgih in Pulau Perhentian saw a bleaching rate of 54.9 percent and a mortality rate of 24.9 percent.

Affendi stated, "The three affected locations are located in Terengganu, which is one of the main states focused on marine-based tourism," during the Coral Reef Rehabilitation program in Pulau Aur, Mersing recently. He highlighted that high sea surface temperature due to climate change is the main factor in the large-scale coral bleaching in several locations in the country this year.

Affendi, who is also a coral reef expert, noted that the phenomenon was also recorded in several other locations, including Sabah and Johor, describing the current bleaching as one of the worst in the history of coral reef monitoring in the country. He recalled that last year, 2024, was particularly detrimental, with prolonged high sea water temperatures causing coral reefs to become stressed, bleach, and eventually die. In some locations, the death rate reached 60 percent.

He explained that coral bleaching occurs when algae that live symbiotically with coral reefs are separated due to heat stress, causing corals to lose their main food source and turn white. Coral reefs serve as breeding grounds for one-third of marine species. "When temperatures rise by just one degree Celsius above normal, corals will be stressed. The microscopic algae (called zooxanthellae) that usually provides up to 90 percent of the coral's food will be expelled. When this algae is gone, the coral loses its color, starves, and eventually dies," he explained.

Affendi, who is also a research officer at the Institute of Ocean and Earth Sciences (IOES) of Universiti Malaya, added that coral bleaching not only affects the marine ecosystem but also threatens the country's seafood resources, which depend on the coral reef ecosystem. He warned that the destruction of coral habitats reduces the population of fish such as Groupers and Rays that rely on corals for shelter and reproduction. "We estimate that about 40 percent of the fish in the local market are directly related to the coral reef ecosystem. If this habitat continues to be damaged, our seafood supply will dwindle and prices increase," he said.