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TRANSCRIPT
Making a Splash!
A family of fishermen in Terengganu
mobilised a rescue of a female green
turtle by using their custom-made
turtle-friendly net.
More on page 7
Currents WWF-Malaysia Marine Programme Apr - Jun 2013
In conjunction with World Sea Turtle which is celebrated annually on the 16 June,
Semporna celebrated with gusto with the launch of the Sea Turtle Week from 17-21
June. To mark the start of the celebration, representatives from WWF-Malaysia and
volunteer group, Green Semporna, went a-visiting 10 schools in the area dressed as
“Penyu Sekawan” (Turtle Friends), signifying the four turtle species found in
Semporna, namely the Green turtle, Hawksbill, Olive Ridley, and Leatherback. The
visit aimed to encourage the students to participate in a competition by creating
their own turtle replica from recycled materials. Taking up the challenge was 5
secondary schools and their colorful exhibits equipped with key messages on turtles
were displayed and judged at the opening of the Turtle Exhibition at the Semporna
Library on 19 June.
The three-day exhibition, jointly organized by WWF-Malaysia, Sabah State Library
and Semporna District Education Office was officiated by the Assistant District Officer
of Semporna, Suhaime bin Ejip. Top three winners, SMK Datuk Panglima Abdullah,
SMK Tagasan and SMK Agama Tun Sakaran were then invited to take part in the
telematch held at the closing ceremony on 22 June. Besides turtle replica-making,
there were face-painting for the visitors and a booth displaying handicrafts by the
Wanita Pulau Omadal (WAPO), a local community group from Omadal Island. The
hall of the library was decorated with posters on turtles to educate visitors on the
importance of these endangered marine creatures to Semporna’s ecosystems.
The star attraction of the exhibition, the life-size Green turtle statue fondly named ‘Si
Bokko Kalasahan Ku’, (in Bajau means “My Lovely Turtle”) made a tour around town
and collected more than 300 pledges on it as members of the public penned down
their vow to save these endangered marine treasures. ‘Si Bokko Kalasahaan Ku’ will
remain a fixture at the Semporna Library.
‘Si Bokko Kalasahan Ku’ Makes School Visits for World Sea Turtle
Day in Semporna
Snippets of the World Sea Turtle Day Celebration in Semporna with its star icon,
‘Si Bokko Kalasahan Ku’.© WWF-Malaysia/Joannie Jomitol
‘Senyum Penyu, Senyum Kita’
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mkE
KT1AKVjE
Save Our Seafood (S.O.S) - Join the
Sustainable Seafood Movement:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=quo
as7kRQTA
Semporna: Turtles and You:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z1W
KtCnxSb0
Video Links For Sharing
SALAM AIDILFITRI MAAF ZAHIR DAN BATIN SYAWAL 1434 HIJRAH
© W
WF-
Mala
ysia
/Nad
iah R
osl
i
WWF-Malaysia Produces Country’s First Turtle Conservation Song, ‘Senyum Penyu, Senyum Kita’
In an effort to exchange information and experience in
fisheries enforcement and marine turtle conservation in
Malaysia, WWF-Malaysia together with the Department
of Fisheries organised a one-day workshop entitled
‘Dialog Penguatkuasaan Isu-Isu Perikanan dan
Pemuliharaan Penyu di Malaysia’. The dialogue was
held on 18 June in Petaling Jaya, Selangor and was
attended by 50 participants including from NGOs,
Malaysia Maritime Enforcement Agency, Fishermen
Association and government agencies such as Marine Police and Marine Parks. Through presentations by a range of speakers and
a breakout session carried out during the second half of the day, the Enforcement Dialogue also aimed to analyse the main gaps
in enforcement of fisheries laws and existing marine turtle regulations in Malaysia (on land and at sea). Furthermore, the dialogue
served to identify and prioritize actions needed for preventing encroachment of foreign fishing vessels in our waters and local
trawlers into zone A, the operation of illegal fishing gears and methods and enforcing existing turtle rules and regulations. This
dialague also marks the first for Marine enforcement agencies in Peninsular Malaysia converging to discuss fisheries enforcement
and turtle conservation issues as well as to identify solutions; leveraging on strengths of each agency and improving shortcomings.
Currents Apr—Jun 2013
Gaps in Fisheries and Turtle Regulations Addressed in Enforcement Dialogue
© WWF-Malaysia/ Rahana Husin © Flytone Productions © WWF-Malaysia/ Lau Ching Fong
In conjunction with World Turtle Day on 23 May, WWF-Malaysia released its turtle song entitled ‘Senyum Penyu, Senyum
Kita’ (loosely translated as A Turtle’s Smile is Our Smile) in honour of the world’s ancient creature and one of Malaysia’s iconic
species. The upbeat composition celebrating the magnificent mariners was produced by multi-artist and musician, Kamrul Hussin
@ Waklong and composed and arranged by Ijan Perkusi with lyrics penned by Arina Amin. Warner Music Malaysia’s singer-
songwriter, Asmidar, lends her trademark silky vocals to the song that aims to get everyone to groove while taking a stand for
turtles.
To bring the message of turtle conservation closer to home, the song features traditional musical instruments from each of WWF-
Malaysia’s turtle project sites including the Rodat (Terengganu) and Kulintangan (Sabah) with its rap section influenced by
Dondang Sayang (Melaka) rhythms. Taking listeners along on a turtle’s journey and to celebrate Malaysia’s turtle heritage, it is
hoped that the song will induce sing-alongs which will, in turn, empower not only the local communities, but also the Malaysian
public to take pride in valuing and protecting these endangered creatures. The song was performed live by Asmidar at the World
Sea Turtle Day Celebration in Kuala Terengganu on 22 June themed ‘Race Against Extinction’.
Mr. Asdari Baluat from Sabah Parks assumed the role of an enforcement
agency protecting the no-take zone in a game during the training.
© WWF-Malaysia/Sofia Johari
Micro-enterprises for Marine Conservation The Enterprise and Fisheries Management for Coastal and
Marine Conservation Training Workshop conducted by Brian
Crawford and Elin Torell from Coastal Resources Center, US
provided training to coastal practitioners and local
government officials to promote enterprise strategies in
coastal communities with the intent of simultaneously
promoting biodiversity conservation and poverty alleviation,
and to achieve both objectives on a sustainable (self-
financing) basis. A total 25 participants learnt the basics and
gained an understanding of good choices regarding the
appropriateness of different micro-enterprises for resource
conservation.
The speakers respond to questions from the floor at the panel discussion.
© WWF-Malaysia/Nadiah Rosli
Save Our Seafood (S.O.S) 2.0 Launch to Expand Sustainable Seafood Movement
Currents Apr—Jun 2013
In conjunction with Coral Triangle Day on 9 June and World Oceans Week from 3-11
June, WWF-Malaysia stepped up to the plate and launched Phase II of the S.O.S
campaign, aptly called ‘S.O.S 2.0’ on 9 June at DoubleTree by Hilton KL.
Phase I of the S.O.S campaign was launched 3 years ago in June 2010; it was the first of its kind in the country to zoom in on the
dire state of our fisheries. The campaign focused on creating awareness amongst consumers on the issue as well as on promoting
sustainable seafood choices through a seafood guide.
The campaign has shown that consumer attitudes and knowledge are ever improving and that the sustainable seafood movement
is gaining traction amongst industry players. S.O.S 2.0 aims to drive
market transformation towards sustainable seafood sourcing with
Business and Industry players in an effort to expand the sustainable
seafood movement. WWF-Malaysia seeks to garner commitments
from retailers, hotels and restaurants to phase out red-listed
seafood from their counters and menu, and support certified
products.
Fast forward 3 years later, S.O.S 2.0 which was launched at
DoubleTree by Hilton Kuala Lumpur introduced an updated S.O.S
guide that reflects the reassessed list of seafood species from the
first S.O.S guide. Compared to the first guide, which featured about
44% of the assessed species falling into the red list, the new S.O.S
guide has an astounding 52% in the red list. The assessment
covered about 100 commercially-important species in Malaysia,
assessed using the international methodology developed jointly by
WWF and North Sea Foundation.
This red alert brings a clear message on choosing seafood
carefully. The consumption of food fish in Malaysia has increased
by 150% since 1961 (FAO, 2013) and Malaysians’ reliance on fish
as a major protein source has also increased.
The average Malaysian consumes about 52 kilograms of seafood
per year with an expected increase of its consumption in 2020 to
be at 1.68 billion kilograms (FAO, 2013).
More than 200,000 fishermen, fish farmers, processors, ice and
boat-makers depend on this industry (valued at more than RM10
billion) for their livelihood. The inevitable crash of the fisheries
could potentially cripple the nation’s economy and jeopardize the
food security of locals.
While the Malaysian government has prioritized aquaculture
investment in the 10th Malaysia Plan, WWF is concerned that
aquaculture could be seen as a way to compensate for over-
harvested fish stocks and without clear guidelines and application
“The message from this new S.O.S guide further stresses the need for urgent recovery measures for fisheries
in Malaysia. We need drastic changes in the management regime to address key issues of unreliable fish
stock data, by-catch reduction, impacts to marine ecosystem and habitats, and ineffective enforcement.”
Dato’ Dr Dionysius Sharma, Executive Director/CEO, WWF-Malaysia
Launch of S.O.S 2.0 Campaign by Celebrity Chef, Bobby Chinn
and Conservation Director of WWF-Malaysia, Dr Sundari
Ramakhrisna. (top) Press conference held during the launch
(bottom).
“It’s not just sharks, everything is going. The depletion and the
amount of seafood that is being removed indiscriminately is scary.
There’s a lack of management. Three-quarters of the world is the
sea and we’re depending on it. Who’s going to protect it?”
Bobby Chinn, Celebrity Chef
© WWF-Malaysia/ Lau Ching Fong
© WWF-Malaysia/ Lau Ching Fong
© WWF-Malaysia/ Ooi Ying Cheing
Currents Apr—Jun 2013
of certification schemes such as the Aquaculture Stewardship Council
(ASC), the general public cannot be guaranteed that farmed fish they
consume do not cause even more harm to the environment.
Since it is quite challenging for a consumer to track the source of their
seafood, therefore certification schemes like Marine Stewardship
Council (MSC) and Aquaculture Stewardship Council (ASC) take the bur-
den off the consumer with their traceability system. In order for
Malaysian fisheries to shift toward this direction, there needs to be a call
from consumers demanding for more MSC or ASC-certified local
products. The first ASC-certified fish for Malaysia is the tilapia from Lake
Temengor.
To showcase how versatile and tasty sustainable seafood can be,
award-winning Celebrity Chef, Bobby Chinn, also made a special
appearance at the launch to promote Green-Listed seafood. Guests
were treated to his trademark recipes served with MSC-certified Alaskan
Pollock and ASC-certified tilapia produced in Malaysia. The fish
products were sponsored by Golden Fresh Sdn Bhd and Trapia
Malaysia Sdn Bhd, respectively.
In addition, a new Public Service Announcement video made its debut
at the launch along with a new S.O.S website (www.saveourseafood.my)
which will be more responsive and interactive for the public to learn
about and participate in the campaign. Cha Ca (Vietnamese dish) with ASC-certified tilapia.
© WWF-Malaysia/ Ooi Ying Cheing
MSC-certificed breaded fillet served at the event
© WWF-Malaysia/ Ooi Ying Cheing
SUSTAINABLE SEAFOOD OPTIONS FOR RETAILERS & HOTELS
I feel it’s been a real privilege to be included in this
(campaign). It’s given me a lot of renewed
motivation to be more active and to educate myself
about the condition of the oceans and seafood
stocks that we have. We all have a responsibility; a huge
responsibility especially in the industry I’m in, especially being a
Chef. I think being in that position, I can have a real direct impact
on that.”
Adam Watson, Executive Chef, DoubleTree by Hilton KL
WWF-Malaysia and the Marine Stewardship
Council (MSC) held a Sustainable Seafood
Forum on 29 July at DoubleTree by Hilton KL
to create an informal platform for seafood
producers, suppliers and retailers (from both
the trade and hospitality industry) to share
knowledge and create opportunities to
promote sustainable seafood consumption in
Malaysia.
Some 25 guests comprising seafood retailers,
suppliers and hotel Chefs and personnel joined
the discussion on sustainable seafood sourcing
and in transitioning towards sustainable
seafood procurement.
The half-day session provided valuable insight into the main challenges and concerns in promoting sustainable seafood in the
country but also presented great opportunities for WWF-Malaysia and MSC to work together with businesses and industries in
addressing these issues and concerns. WWF-Malaysia and partners hope to engage with more businesses that are in favour of
environmentally sustainable fisheries and aquaculture operations and will promote and support partners with the Chain of
Custody certification or making a commitment towards that.
Kelvin Ng, Asia Regional Director of MSC Asia speaks to guests at the forum.
© WWF-Malaysia/ Victor Charlie Andin
© WWF-Malaysia/ Nadiah Rosli
Currents Apr—Jun 2013
Conference on the Achievements of the Coral Triangle Initiative on Coral
Reefs, Fisheries and Food Security (CTI-CFF) in Malaysia was held from
10-11 June in conjunction with the Coral Triangle Day at Putrajaya Marriott
Hotel. The conference aimed to gather all parties to reflect on
achievements of projects funded by USAID CTSP in Malaysia and to make
strategic decision on future directions of projects in the country.
Formation of the National Steering Committee and Technical Working
groups for the Ecosystem Approach for Fisheries Management (EAFM) and
the progress on the gazettement of the proposed Tun Mustapha Park were
among the highlighted achievements of the CTI Programmes in Malaysia
through the National Oceanography Directorate (NOD), Ministry of
Science, Technology and Innovation Malaysia and Coral Triangle Support
Partnership (CTSP).
The conference comprised four technical sessions discussing the fisheries
management, management of marine protected areas, knowledge
management in CTI-Malaysia as well as collaborative management and
environmental stewardship. It ended with a panel discussion chaired by
Prof. Dr Nor Aieni Mokhtar from NOD with panelists from the Department
of Fisheries Malaysia, Department of Marine Parks, Ministry of Tourism,
Culture and Environment Sabah and WWF-Malaysia. Comments,
suggestions and recommendations from the conference participants were
recorded and will be compiled into a report for future references.
The conference provided a platform for the local communities including
representatives from Banggi Youth Club (BYC) and Maliangin Island
Community Association (MICA) who had been implementing the ground
work to be duly acknowledged and given encouragement to continue their
good work.
The two-day conference which highlighted these milestones does not
signal the end of the CTI in Malaysia. On the contrary, it marks a critical
point for the Malaysian Government to further commit towards
sustainable management of our marine resources to secure the country’s
environmental, cultural and economic well-being.
Aimed to build on existing strategies and to review the
alignment of the current marine programme to global
initiatives and strategies, WWF-Malaysia’s Peninsular
Malaysia Seas Programme and the Sulu-Sulawesi Marine
Ecoregion Programme were gathered in Penang for an
intensive three-day workshop from 15-19 April. Experts in
their fields, Geoffrey Muldoon, Live Reef Fish Trade Strategy
Leader; Aimee Leslie, Global Cetacean and Marine Turtle
Manager, WWF-International; Kelvin Ng, Regional Director,
MSC Asia Pacific; Imam Musthofa Zainuddin, National
Fisheries Program Coordinator, WWF-Indonesia and Rohit
Singh, Protected Area and Enforcement Specialist for the
WWF Tigers Alive Initiative were invited to the brainstorming
sessions with the intention to spur new ideas and strategies
that would benefit the Marine Team’s current conservation
goals. The thee-day workshop resulted among others, a
draft for the formulation of a WWF-MY National Marine
Programme.
East meets West at Marine Retreat
A New Phase for CTI-CFF in Malaysia Celebrated in conjunction with Coral Triangle Day
(Top) Serious faces during the brainstorming session.
(Bottom) Visit to the full-cycle mariculture farm at Pulau Jerajak,
Penang. © WWF-Malaysia/ Ooi Ying Cheing
Participants at one of the talks held during the conference.
© WWF-Malaysia/ Yusof Bural
The Maliangin Island Community Association (MICA) repre-
sentatives at the open booth. © WWF-Malaysia/ Yusof Bural
Ms. Robecca Jumin from WWF-Malaysia giving her opening
speech at the 5th CTI-CFF Anniversary Conference Dinner.
© WWF-Malaysia/ Yusof Bural
Currents Apr—Jun 2013
Full Force Against the Use of Fish Bombs in Semporna
Fish bombs are used as an easier tool to gain profits within a short
period of time with little investment but at the expense of robbing the
marine ecosystems of their beauty. Coral reefs in Sabah are
disappearing due to the rampant practice of this destructive fishing
method. In an effort to raise awareness among communities especially
the younger generation in Semporna on this topic, WWF-Malaysia
had created an interactive competition to educate school children on
the impacts of fish bombing and to highlight the importance the
protection and conservation of marine resources.
Following the Anti-Fish Bombing Speech Competition held earlier this
year, the school children were challenged on their script writing and
acting skills in the Anti-Fish Bombing Short Sketch Competition held
on 2 May. Five groups of students, comprising not more than 15
members between the ages of 14 and 18 years, prepared their own
creative scenarios. “Loving Sea”, the group from SMK Tagasan,
emerged champion, while “Humagad” and “Sahasa”, students of SMK
Datu Panglima Abdullah, came in second and third respectively.
Seizing the immediate opportunity available, WWF-Malaysia, Reef
Check Malaysia and Marine Conservation Society (MCS) arranged for
a special session entitled ‘Protecting Coral Reef Ecosystem and
Combating Fish Bombing’ in the second ‘Coastal, Island and Tropical
Tourism: Global Impacts, Local Resilience’ Conference held on the 16
May. In that session, the gaps, total occurrence of the incidence and
solutions to the issue were presented. Participants were also provided
pledge cards to play their role as agents of change to combat this
destructive fishing method.
The launch of the Anti-Fish Bombing Campaign in town by the District
Office of Semporna in collaboration with WWF-Malaysia and various
government bodies on the 19 June marked a milestone signifying the
commitment from government agencies to discourage fishermen
from practicing fish bombing. The District Marine Police encouraged
members of the community to continue providing information to the
authorities in reporting the problem as well as for more effective
enforcement strategies in Semporna waters.
WWF-Malaysia hopes that with the increased awareness, fish bombing
activities can be reduced with the joint effort from both the local
communities as well as the government agencies.
Regatta Lepa-Lepa 2013 Highlights the Importance of Marine Conservation in Semporna
Themed ‘Kami Menghargai dan Melestarikan Alam Marin
Semporna’ (Valuing and Sustaining our Semporna Marine
Environment), WWF-Malaysia together with GREEN
Semporna engaged some 300 children in fun-filled and
educational activities. The lifecycle of turtles were taught
through the ‘Ninja Sea Turtles’ activity as well as coloring
contests and quizzes were held throughout the three-day
water festival from 26-28 April. The Women Association of
Pulau Omadal (WAPO) was also present to exhibit examples
of handicrafts as alternative livelihood for communities who
are dependent on fisheries. The enthusiastic team also
engaged visitors to the Green Marine Tourism exhibition –
an initiative to work together with tourist operators,
government agencies and also local communities to ensure
that the impact of tourism on the marine resources is
reduced.
© WWF-Malaysia
© WWF-Malaysia/ Adzmin Chiee
© WWF-Malaysia/ Monique Sumampouw
Currents Apr—Jun 2013
Local Fishermen Leads Turtle Rescue in Terengganu There were blood, sweat and cheers on 25 June when
fishermen from a sleepy seaside town in Terengganu
mobilised a turtle rescue at a pond nearby. The female
green turtle had accidentally swam into a pond, and
when her presence was noticed by a few people
nearby, WWF-Malaysia was alerted and a team of local
fishermen were called to help rescue the turtle and
return her into the ocean.
Armed with a fishing net, the 4 fishermen tossed the
net into the pond to haul the turtle up. The
atmosphere was then tense with anticipation as staff
crowded the area to observe the rescue mission.
Words of encouragement were exclaimed every time
the net missed the turtle – the excitement was
unmistakeable; resembling that of a heated football
match! 10 minutes in, the score was: Turtle -3, Net – 0.
The cheers didn’t falter and after 15 minutes, the turtle
finally swam towards the net. The fishermen promptly
lifted the net and it took another 11 grown men for the
tug and pull that ensued. After she was safely pulled up, WWF-Malaysia’s field biologist proceeded to take measurements of the
turtle and removed its barnacles. The turtle’s curved carapace length measured at 97 cm and its curved carapace width was
91.5cm, signifying that she was in her adulthood and possibly a nesting turtle.
Hoping to rewrite her bad day, the turtle was then carried to the nearby beach. With his sweat-drenched shirt, one of the
fishermen, Raja Ngah Raja Umor, aged 65 had a satisfied smile as he watched the turtle swim back to the ocean. “The physical
exertion is worth it because we are aware of how endangered these creatures are. We always advice our fellow fishermen to help
turtles, especially if they are accidentally caught in our fishing gears.”
Echoing his thoughts were his 3 sons who joined the day’s rescue effort. Raja Awang Raja Ngah, aged 33 explained that the net
used in the rescue was specifically made to help in turtle rescue missions. “The net used to lift the turtle in the pond is an ordinary
fishing net, but the one used to carry the turtle from the pond to the beach was specifically made for this purpose. We made the
net to do our part in turtle conservation.” The turtle-friendly family affair coupled with the assistance from the public is something
that WWF-Malaysia hopes to inspire members of the local communities to continue to conserve and protect turtles.
Fishermen and onlookers braved the hot sun to jointly pull up the trapped
turtle. (Inset: The female turtle safely returned to the sea.)
© WWF-Malaysia/ Nadiah Rosli
Signboards Boost Turtle Conservation Message in Melaka
Visitors to 8 prime turtle nesting beaches in Melaka will now be able to see signboards which clearly inform the public the laws
and penalties for disturbing and injuring turtles as well as poaching of their eggs.
All of the signboards were erected on 27 June by WWF-Malaysia with the collaboration of the State Department of Fisheries and
army partner, Kem Terendak, in the hopes of increasing turtle conservation awareness. The signboards have been placed at the
following beaches: Kem Terendak, Pasir Gembur, Balik Batu, Padang Kemunting, Tanjung Dahan, Tanjung Serai, Meriam Patah and
Tanjung Bidara Beach.
Written in Bahasa Malaysia, the signboards remind the public that offenses against the regulations will result in a RM500 fine or
three-months prison term or both. With the signboards up at the beaches, WWF-Malaysia and partners hope a wider audience is
engaged and that members of the public should consider ceasing the consumption of turtle eggs. This is reinforced by the
message at the bottom of the signboard which warns the public about research that has found high toxin levels and bacteria in
turtle eggs and eating them may result in kidney failure and cancer.
© WWF-Malaysia/Ooi Ying Cheing
ww
f.org
.my
Terengganu Celebrates World Sea Turtle Day With A ‘Race Against Extinction’
In the hopes of turning the tide against the fate of one of the country’s most iconic species, WWF-Malaysia in collaboration with
the ‘Visit Terengganu Year 2013’ Secretariat and Ministry of Tourism held a World Sea Turtle Day (WSTD) Celebration themed
‘Race against Extinction’ on 22 June. The main objectives of this campaign are to raise awareness among the local community on
the need to protect turtles and their nesting beaches and to make them understand the need for turtle conservation. The WSTD
celebration also encouraged members of the public to participate in exciting learning experiences about turtles, their biology and
the threats turtles face.
In honour of these majestic species, a full-day programme was carried out at Taman Awam Batu Burok, Kuala Terengganu which
featured an array of exciting events such as face painting, exhibitions, cultural performances and a Turtle Costume Competition.
The highlight of the celebration was the 8km Turtle Run, the first of its kind in Peninsular Malaysia; about a 600-strong crowd
participated in the run. Winners of the first ‘Turtle Run’ organised in Peninsular Malaysia received cash money and runners from
each category who clocked in the fastest time were given the privilege to name the turtles which WWF-Malaysia will fix with
satellite transmitters during this turtle nesting season. Warner Music Malaysia artist, Asmidar also joined the WSTD Celebration
and performed WWF-Malaysia’s turtle anthem, ‘Senyum Penyu, Senyum Kita’.
In Terengganu, the mainland beaches and islands of the East Coast state
are currently home to one
of the largest Green Turtle
populations in Peninsular
Malaysia, averaging
between 2000 to 2500
nests per year.
Turtles are recognised as
the state’s Icon and have
been featured as the
state’s official Football
team. Rantau Abang in
Terengganu was also a
landmark in Malaysia 50
years ago for Leatherback turtle landings with more than 10,000 recorded nestings
in a season. However, their population has reduced by 99% in the last 20 years,
with no recorded nestings of Leatherbacks in the last 2 years.
The state government is tapping into turtles as a major tourism draw and turtles
have been included in Terengganu’s 8 clusters of tourism products and tourist
destinations. Tourist arrivals to Terengganu in 2012 reached 3.38 million visitors
with 2.77 million locals and 607,000 foreigners. With the tourism industry
contributing to RM3.34 billion of the state’s revenue last year, turtle ecotourism if
done right – with proper guidelines in place would generate income for local
communities and help ensure that turtles can continue to play their role in keeping
our marine ecosystems healthy. WWF-Malaysia hopes that more turtle-friendly
tourism will be promoted in the state to run parallel with current turtle conservation
goals.
For more information, please contact:
Nadiah Rosli
Communications Officer
Peninsular Malaysia Seas Programme
Email: [email protected]
Liew Hui Ling
Communications Officer
Marine Programme
Email: [email protected]
WWF-Malaysia
49, Jalan SS23/15, Taman Sea,
47400 Petaling Jaya, Selangor, Malaysia
WWF-Malaysia, Petaling Jaya
Tel: +603 7803 3772
Editorial Team
Contributors:
Chitra Devi G., Liew Hui Ling,
Nadiah Rosli, Sofia Johari
Editor: Alexa Antal
Advisors: Gangaram Pursumal, Robecca Jumin,
Carol Phua
Currents Apr—Jun 2013
© WWF-Malaysia/Nadiah Rosli © WWF-Malaysia/Rahana Husin
© WWF-Malaysia/Ooi Ying Cheing