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© Jurgen Freund / WWF-Canon

Malaysia is surrounded by seas rich in marine resources, making it a valuable area within the Coral Triangle. Featured high on the list of the top 17 "megadiverse countries" of the world, Malaysia is known to host extensive networks of coral reefs, teeming with unique marine species.

Around 80 percent of marine species in the Coral Triangle can be found in Malaysia’s waters, but rapid coastal development and a fast-growing economy are taking their toll on its incredible resources.

• 98% of people live within 100 km of the coastline.
• Fish stocks are depleted due to overfishing and destructive fishing.
• Water quality is declining due to the effects of unplanned coastal development.
• Trawling near coral reefs and sewage discharge continue to threaten marine habitats.

Malaysia’s plentiful natural resources are one of the reasons why the country continues to develop at an astonishing pace. However, the government is determined that resource exploitation must be done in a sustainable way. CTSP supports the government of Malaysia in their efforts to make conservation a top priority in their coastal areas.

Through WWF-Malaysia and other local partners, CTSP has helped put 5.5 million hectares of marine ecosystems under improved management. With our partners, CTSP now supports the government to establish the Tun Mustapha Park, which will be one of the largest Marine Protected Areas in Southeast Asia, and the largest in Malaysia, spanning one million hectares.

By supporting work that delivers the CTI-CFF Malaysian National Plan of Action, CTSP helps the government address the greatest threats and challenges to Malaysia’s coastal resources. WWF-Malaysia works with the government to introduce more sustainable fishing methods on local and national levels. An essential part of this process involves fishers and local merchants, as their ideas will help develop policies that address a realistic and unified vision for Malaysia’s marine resources.

WWF-Malaysia staff conduct reef monitoring training with a resident within the proposed Tun Mustapha Park in the state of Sabah. © Mohd Yusuf Bin Bural / WWF

Around 80 percent of marine species in the Coral Triangle can be found in Malaysia’s waters, but rapid coastal development and a fast-growing economy are taking their toll on its incredible resources.

• 98% of people live within 100 km of the coastline.
• Fish stocks are depleted due to overfishing and destructive fishing.
• Water quality is declining due to the effects of unplanned coastal development.
• Trawling near coral reefs and sewage discharge continue to threaten marine habitats.

Malaysia’s plentiful natural resources are one of the reasons why the country continues to develop at an astonishing pace. However, the government is determined that resource exploitation must be done in a sustainable way. CTSP supports the government of Malaysia in their efforts to make conservation a top priority in their coastal areas.

Through WWF-Malaysia and other local partners, CTSP has helped put 5.5 million hectares of marine ecosystems under improved management. With our partners, CTSP now supports the government to establish the Tun Mustapha Park, which will be one of the largest Marine Protected Areas in Southeast Asia, and the largest in Malaysia, spanning one million hectares.

By supporting work that delivers the CTI-CFF Malaysian National Plan of Action, CTSP helps the government address the greatest threats and challenges to Malaysia’s coastal resources. WWF-Malaysia works with the government to introduce more sustainable fishing methods on local and national levels. An essential part of this process involves fishers and local merchants, as their ideas will help develop policies that address a realistic and unified vision for Malaysia’s marine resources.

Adaptation to climate change

The people living on the small islands of Sabah are at the forefront of climate change impacts such as sea level rise and intense storms. With CTSP support, WWF-Malaysia and Sabah Parks have trained more than 20 wildlife wardens to manage coastal resources and help their communities adapt to climate change.

Reef system rehabilitation

When the Sabah government stopped issuing permits for the export of humphead wrasse, many traders continued to keep wrasse in “growout cages”. With the much prized but endangered wild wrasse fish stocks at such a low level, WWF-Malaysia initiated a buy-back and release program that released 850 fish back into the wild to breed in protected areas.

A shared vision

Not only are more fishermen using sustainable approaches in Sabah, they are also playing a key role in creating Tun Mustapha Park. At a recent CTSP-hosted workshop local fishers developed their vision for the future of the park. The recent release of an accidentally caught dugong within the Maliangin Community Marine Protected Area in 2011 (pictured above), shows the early benefits on the CTSP partnership with the fishing community.