Mass coral bleaching threatens Malaysia's marine biodiversity, says Fisheries Dept

A dying coral usually turns white which is a sign of bleaching caused by the rising ocean temperatures. -- photo credit Department of Fisheries (DoF) Johor. Coral reefs is important as it is the habitat for small crustaceans, breeding grounds for fishes, and has great tourism value.

KUALA LUMPUR: Coral reefs in the country are experiencing significant mass coral bleaching due to rising sea surface temperatures, potentially having serious implications for marine biodiversity, coral reef fisheries and tourism in Malaysia.

The Fisheries Department reported that this issue was identified through assistance and reports from local non-governmental organisations (NGOs), scuba diving operators, scuba divers and coral bleaching monitoring conducted by NGOs and local researchers.