KOTA KINABALU: Ghost nets continue to pose a serious threat to Sabah’s marine ecosystem, according to participants of the Borneo Ultra Ocean Clean Up (BUOC) 5.0.
Sabah Dive Squad Club programme director Yong Lip Khiong said that during the event yesterday, 14 members collected up to 78 kilogrammes of debris, including plastic bottles, aluminium cans and abandoned fishing nets known as ghost nets.
Yong said irresponsible fishing practices, particularly the use of nets in prohibited areas, were among the key causes of such pollution.
“Besides plastic bags and bottles, ghost nets are one of the main threats to marine life. Marine animals can get entangled in them, and over time, these nets also damage corals,” said the divemaster, who dived 12 metres deep for over an hour to remove part of a 100-metre net off Kota Kinabalu waters.
Another member, Mohd Saiful Md Saad, 39, who has been diving for four years, said he had encountered marine species — including rare guitar sharks, turtles and large fish — that died after being trapped in ghost nets.
“The presence of plastic debris is equally damaging to the marine ecosystem, as seen in reports of turtles found dead after ingesting plastic, mistaking it for jellyfish, which is their food,” said the civil servant.
The 14-member team managed to collect at least 78 kilogrammes of waste, including ghost nets, during the programme in Kota Kinabalu waters yesterday.
The fifth edition of BUOC was organised by the Royal Malaysian Navy through its Submarine Force Headquarters (MAKS) in conjunction with its 92nd anniversary celebrations.
A total of 126 scuba divers took part in the underwater clean-up, comprising personnel from uniformed agencies including the navy, army, marine police, Fire and Rescue Department, Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency and Civil Defence Force.
Certified scuba divers from public and private organisations such as Universiti Malaysia Sabah and Sabah Parks also joined the effort.
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