MARINE CONSERVATION

REEF CONSERVATION

In order to inspect and monitor the health of the reefs within SIMCA, reefs surveys are conducted annually. These surveys include Reef Check surveys, coral transition surveys, and rugosity survey. Temperature loggers are also installed at few reefs to oversee any temperature changes at the reef.

During these reef surveys, inspections on the presence of the abandoned nets and Crown-of-Thorns were also conducted. Abandoned nets will be taken out from the reef as soon as possible if spotted to avoid the nets from causing further damage to the reef. In the event where reefs are infested by Crown-of-Thorns starfish, a removal effort(s) of these coral predators from the reef would be carried out immediately to maintain the reef ecosystem balance.

Fish blast detectors had been deployed since 2014 at SIMCA reefs to acquire fish blasting statistics, adjacent to these detectors. These statistics are to be utilised by SIMCA enforcement team and local enforcement agencies to combat this illegal fishing activity within and in adjacent to the conservation area.