KOTA KINABALU: There should be stronger conservation awareness programmes at dive centres, resorts and tourism operators throughout Sabah, says a diving association.
Sabah Dive Squad Club president Sim Fui said while the recently enforced Fisheries (Amendment) Act 2025 [Act A1780] that came into force on June 15 was very much welcomed, better education to change the attitudes of people is also needed.
“We are proposing mandatory marine conservation briefings for all Discovery Scuba Diving (DSD) participants, snorkellers and first-time divers before entering the water,” he said in a statement.
Sim also said there should be clear multilingual educational materials in English, Bahasa Malaysia, Mandarin and other major languages to educate international visitors on responsible marine interactions.
He suggested mandatory reporting mechanisms for dive operators who witness marine wildlife harassment or illegal fishing activities.
He added that greater collaboration between government agencies, marine parks, dive operators, NGOs and local communities will help promote ethical diving and sustainable tourism practices.
Sim reminded all tourists and diving enthusiasts to look, but do not touch, maintain a safe distance from marine animals, never chase, ride, feed or restrain marine wildlife and not to stand on or damage coral reefs.
“Follow the instructions of certified dive professionals and marine park regulations. These simple actions can significantly contribute to the protection of Sabah’s marine heritage for future generations,” he said.
He said the amended laws to combat illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing and protect fisheries resources would lead to better marine biodiversity management.
As one of Malaysia’s premier diving destinations, Sabah is internationally renowned for its rich marine biodiversity such as sea turtles, whale sharks, dolphins, dugongs and various coral reef ecosystems.
Sim said these species are found in areas such as Sipadan, Mabul, Kapalai, Semporna, Tun Sakaran Marine Park, Tunku Abdul Rahman Marine Park and the Turtle Islands.
He said these marine life are not only important for ecological balance but also contribute significantly to Sabah’s tourism industry and local economy.
“We particularly welcome the increase in penalties for offences involving disturbances to aquatic mammals and sea turtles, with fines now reaching up to RM250,000 under the amended legislation,” Sim said.
He said many people mistakenly believe that touching, chasing, holding or taking photographs with marine animals causes no harm when in reality, such actions can result in severe stress, injuries, behavioural changes, interrupted feeding patterns and reduced breeding success.
Last year, such incidents went viral with videos showing divers restraining a sea turtle while posing for photographs, and harassing a whale shark.
