Kuala lumpur: The Malaysian Society of Marine Sciences (MSMS) has recommended that 24 marine areas across the country be officially gazetted and managed for conservation, under its Malaysia Important Marine Conservation Areas (MyIMCA) framework. Its president, Affendi Yang Amri, highlighted four sites as 'critically important' and in urgent need of protection due to their ecological significance.
According to BERNAMA News Agency, the four most critical sites identified are Pulau Jarak-Segari in the Straits of Melaka, Kuantan-Pekan on the East Coast of Peninsular Malaysia, Beting Patinggi Ali (Luconia Shoals) and Miri-Sibuti in Sarawak waters, and the Layang-Layang Island in Sabah. These locations support unique marine ecosystems such as coral reefs, mangroves, sea turtles, stingrays, dolphins, whales, seahorses, and hammerhead sharks, all of which require immediate protection.
Affendi mentioned that the recommendation comes amid growing concern from marine scientists about the state of ocean conservation in Malaysia, as less than 50 percent of Malaysia's estimated 4,000 square kilometers of coral reefs have been thoroughly mapped to date. Currently, only a few marine areas have been officially gazetted, including Pulau Payar in Kedah and several small islands in Melaka and Negeri Sembilan, which experts argue is insufficient to ensure the sustainability of the nation's marine biodiversity.
He also noted that many areas remain unexplored, particularly submerged reefs in Kuantan, sections of the Straits of Melaka, and large areas of the South China Sea. Legal protection of these zones is considered vital to ensure ecosystem resilience against global climate change.
Affendi, who is also a senior researcher at Universiti Malaya Institute of Ocean and Earth Sciences (IOES), emphasized the unique resilience of coral reefs in the Straits of Melaka, which are believed to have a high tolerance to coral bleaching and could serve as important global refugia in the face of climate change.
Malaysia's ongoing coral reef mapping efforts now utilize a combination of satellite imagery, aerial drones, ship-based sonar, underwater drones, scuba diving surveys, and photogrammetry, which produce detailed 3D maps of reef structures. However, the mapping initiative faces significant hurdles, including murky water conditions in the Straits of Melaka, the deep waters of the South China Sea, a shortage of trained specialists, and high costs associated with equipment and logistics.
Given these challenges, MSMS is urging the government to allocate dedicated funding for marine mapping, invest in local researcher training, and strengthen partnerships with international marine research institutions.