Speed up marine park gazetting, urges WWF

KOTA KINABALU: The proposed one-million hectare Tun Mustapha Marine Park (TMP) in northern Sabah should be gazetted soon because bad fishing practices could lead to the disappearance of popular seafood like groupers and snappers, said WWF Malaysia.

Its executive director Datuk Dr Dionysius Sharma said quick gazetting of the proposed park would help Malaysia meet global ocean protection targets.

“We are working with the state government, businesses and communities to help protect almost one million hectares of ocean in the proposed TMP,” he said.

“This globally significant park will also protect the livelihood of more than 80,000 people living on the coast and over 50 islands in northern Sabah and beyond,” he said in a statement.

Dr Sharma said WWF Malaysia had spent nearly half a century in its mission to protect and preserve the country’s marine life.

Its “Living Blue Planet Report” showed that the destruction of the world’s coral reefs had reduced marine populations by half, he said.

Some fish species had declined by almost 75%, which had impacted the RM8.79bil fishing industry and deprived people of an essential protein supply.

He said Malaysia’s best-loved seafood such as groupers and snappers might soon disappear unless sustainable ocean management practices were implemented.

“Just 10% of commercially valuable fish remains available for consumption after being largely fished-out in the last 50 years.

“If business continues as usual in our fishing practices, we will experience an irreversible collapse in our fishing industry,” Dr Sharma cautioned.

He added that over-fishing, destructive fishing methods like fish bombing, pollution and unsustainable coastal development had led to significant declines in coral reefs, which are integral to the survival and health of marine life.