Sarawak poised to set world record of having longest artificial reef balls project.

Recently the Right Honourable Chief Minister of Sarawak, Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Abang Haji Openg had called on our local fishermen’s association members to work closely with Sarawak Forestry Corporation (SFC) and other agencies in preventing the encroachment of foreign fishermen in state's waters.

According to him, our local fishermen must immediately report any illegal activities to the authorities and that is why Sarawak Government is planting artificial reef balls which also serves as a passive form of enforcement. This is because the reefs were found to have successfully torn the trawler nets that were stuck and this caused the illegal trawlers to avoid the areas.

I had the opportunity to join the Chief Minister in the symbolic ceremony for the deployment of artificial reef balls in Sampadi-Tanjung Datu waters in Sematan which was organised by SFC. Sarawak had started planting artificial reef balls in Talang Satang area since 1998 after many turtles were found dead in the area due to illegal trawling activities mostly by foreign vessels.

As a result of the artificial reef balls deployment, the number of dead turtles recorded in the area not only decreased by 90 per cent (less than 10 per year) but the income of fishermen also increased up to three times.The socio-economic status of traditional fishermen in this area is also increasing while the turtle conservation programme have begun showing results whereby the number which have returned to their original habitat not only on the island but also the beaches in the area.

To date, SFC has successfully planted 600 artificial reef balls in Belawai-Paloh waters in 2018, 600 units in Lawas waters and 1,200 units in Igan to Mukah waters in 2019. In 2020, a total of 1,200 reef balls had been planted in the waters of Muara Tebas-Sebuyau, 660 units in the northern waters of Pulau Bruit-Igan and now 1,100 units in the waters of Sampadi-Tanjung Datu. The local community had also come forward to volunteer as ‘Turtle Rangers’ as part of the turtle conservation programme. When all these reef balls are fully implemented, Sarawak waters will set a record as the area that has the longest artificial reef ball project in the world.