BINTULU: 150kg of marine debris which include buoys, nets and anchor lines were removed from Similajau National Park and Patricia Reef Complex by 21 volunteer divers recently.
The divers were from Malaysia LNG (MLNG), Sarawak Forestry Corporation (SFC), Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA), Fire and Rescue Department Malaysia (BOMBA), Bintulu Port Holdings Bhd (BPHB) and the Marine Police Department.
They conducted the underwater reef cleaning and reefball monitoring activities during the two-day BEACON project Beach and Reef Cleaningprogrammeheld at the national park waters from Sept 7-8.
In the same programme last year, more than 100kg of marine debris comprising trawler nets and other waste materials were also removed from Patricia Reef Complex and Similajau National Park.
The annual BEACON beach and reef cleaning programme is a component of the RM10 million coral reef conservation initiative known as BEACON Project at the Similajau National Park, Bintuluwhich is jointly undertaken by MLNG and SFC.
Launched in 2013, the BEACON project aims to protect, conserve, regenerate and enhance marine biodiversity especially coral reefs through reefballs deployment at the Similajau National Park waters.
Among the key achievements of the project to date are the deployment of some 1,400 units of artificial reefballs at the Similajau National Park waters, completion of the RM2 million visitor and marine studies interpretation centreat the park, the return of Green turtles to the Similajau beach after seven years absent and 387 turtle hatchlings released to the sea.
As for the coral, Sarawak Forestry said new corals have grown to about 12 inches long on artificial reefballs just two years after deployment. Coral reefs provide homes and nursery grounds to many fish species including sharks, grouper, barracuda and dolphins.
