Stop Fish Bombing organisation to focus on coral restoration with public participation

 By Olivia Miwil - August 19, 2023 @ 5:01pm

Stop Fish Bombing Malaysia (SFB) executive director Terence Lim. -NSTP/OLIVIA MIWIL

KOTA KINABALU: A non-governmental organisation aims to involve the public in coral restoration efforts, especially for areas that have been affected by fish bombing.

Stop Fish Bombing Malaysia (SFB) executive director Terence Lim said all this while, their focus has been on using advanced technology to combat fish bombing.

The organisation, he said, employs underwater detection technology to assist authorities in combating illegal fishing practices that devastate coral reefs and marine life in the waters off Sabah state, Malaysia, which includes a massive marine park.

Since 2019, SFB has deployed underwater bomb detection sensors that cover a surveillance area of up to 100 square kilometres in the waters off Sabah, including South Tun Sakaran Marine Park and North Mabul island off Semporna.

Lim added that their work involves surveying potential bombing sites and providing information, particularly to enforcement agencies.

However, he acknowledged that this work might be challenging for the public to grasp.

"The technology can detect loud noises and distinguish the sound of fish bombing or loud impacts within a 20-kilometre radius, sending real-time data to our mobile application.

"As we gather more data inputs, we can pinpoint the exact bombing locations more accurately.

"This is why we rely on data to promptly restore the affected corals instead of leaving them as rubble," he explained, adding that the damaged coral fragments are salvageable.

Lim made these remarks during the inaugural Adex Sabah Ocean Partnership summit at the Sabah International Convention Centre.

Looking ahead, he said the organisation aims to involve the public in activities related to coral restoration.

"When it comes to restoration, it's something people want to be part of and contribute to.

"Currently, we're raising awareness before engaging them in restoration activities.

"Additionally, we hope more individuals will contribute funds for the purchase of our technology, allowing us to collect more data from various fish bombing locations," Lim added.