PUTRAJAYA: The Fisheries Department has planted 3,750 first-generation coral seedlings at the Layang-Layang Reef in Sabah, covering an area of 5,000 square metres, in conjunction with World Oceans Week 2026 as part of efforts to strengthen the recovery of the nation's marine ecosystems.
The department director-general, Datuk Adnan Hussain, said 600 coral settlement tiles had also been installed at Pulau Redang to support the rehabilitation of damaged coral reef areas.
"The programmes carried out in conjunction with World Oceans Week provide an avenue to strengthen various conservation initiatives being implemented by the department together with strategic partners and local communities," he said in a statement on Tuesday (June 23).
He said the department also continued implementing the Blue Barrier Project through the installation of 1,600 metres of conservation zone buoys and 37 boat mooring buoys at Perhentian Island, Terengganu, to protect sensitive marine areas from physical damage.
"In the efforts to conserve threatened marine species, 790 turtle hatchlings, including hawksbill turtles, were released into their natural habitats in Terengganu, Johor and Melaka.
"The programme forms part of ongoing efforts to support the conservation of protected marine species and enhance the survival of turtle populations in the country's waters," he said.
He added that all programmes for the World Oceans Week 2026 were carried out in collaboration with government agencies, higher education institutions, non-governmental organisations and local communities to ensure the preservation of the nation's fisheries resources and marine ecosystems. – Bernama
