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Tioman Marine Park: Linking Transformational Movement Towards Co-Management Approach in Protected Areas Through a National Ocean Policy
Abstract
Tioman archipelago is a Marine Protected Area off the coast of Pahang, Malaysia. The island is inhabited by a small local population that depends on tourism as its main source of income. Tioman's rich biodiversity is the main attraction to visitors, yet it is threatened by the growing tourism market on the island. To build ecological resilience and empower the local community in marine resource management processes, Reef Check Malaysia trained a group of islanders and formed the Tioman Marine Conservation Group. The group has since been recognized by the government as one of its strategic partners and laid the foundation for a co-management approach. Nevertheless, the management of this MPA still faces age-old problems and challenges that are amplified by governance-related limitations. From the perspective of MPAs, there is a need for a transformational change in the culture and work processes to finally address the problems and acknowledge the effectiveness of a co-management approach. Managing MPAs in isolation is not a solution. MPAs are affected by external influences and form part of the larger ocean system. Current practices impede an integrated means to problem-solve cross-cutting issues that require responses from multiple agencies. It is time to revisit the draft National Ocean Policy (NOP) as an overall national policy to guide and compel decision-makers to cooperate across multiple agencies and partners. The recommended NOP must be flexible enough to address emerging issues while taking into account the health of the ecosystem and the social wellbeing of the people.
... Sundarban mangrove forest and wetland (Sarkar, 2022a) Pollution from land, reduced freshwater supply Reduce pollution Lough Hyne, Ireland (McAllen et al., 2021) Eutrophication, alien species Reduce nutrient enrichment Tioman Marine Park, Malaysia (Chelliaha et al., 2022) Illegal fishing, tourism Increase engagement with local community Vertebrates 12 species of gulper sharks, globally (Finucci et al., 2021) Fishery catch and bycatch, including trawling MPA 14 species of Eastern Pacific round rays (Morales-Saldaña et al., 2021) Fishery catch and bycatch, including trawling and gillnets MPA and fishery restrictions 64 species of rhino rays (sawfishes, wedgefishes, giant guitarfishes, guitarfishes, banjo rays) (Kyne and Jabado, 2021) Fishery catch and bycatch, including trawling MPA. Trade bans Four species of coastal elasmobranchs of the North-East Atlantic (Delaval et al., 2021) Fishery catch and bycatch, including trawling MPA Greenland Shark, globally (Orlov et al., 2022) Fishing, including bycatch in bottom trawl and longlining MPA. ...
... Illegal fishing is a recognised problem in one MPA in Malaysia (Chelliaha et al., 2022). However, the potential ecosystem effects of legal fishing permitted in an MPA in Ireland were not considered in its review (McAllen et al., 2021), suggesting a lack of appreciation of the ecological effects of fishing in a country with no fully-protected MPA. ...
Reported threats to marine species and habitats are reviewed. Fishing, directly and indirectly through bycatch, trophic cascades, and prey depletion, was the dominant impact on vertebrates. Because seabed trawling was a dominant impact on seabed biodiversity, how its reduction is a low cost solution to achieving the Targets and Milestones in the Convention on Biological Diversity post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework is illustrated. Marine Protected Areas were the most frequently (in 82% of studies) recommended way to reduce impacts on and restore biodiversity, particularly where fully protected from fishing. In addition, reductions in pollution from land and changes in human activities outside MPA are needed to reduce wider impacts on marine life.
... Tioman Island serves as nurseries to numerous fish and prawns, nesting site and staging ground for green and hawksbill turtle, and also part of the wider and extensive migratory routes for whale sharks and marine mammals such as the false killer whale and Indo-Pacific bottlenose dolphin, which are sighted periodically. Many pods of dolphins are resident around Tioman Island (Chelliah et al. 2022). ...
Ghost nets are major contributor to ocean pollution with extensive social, economic and environmental impacts. Ghost nets trap marine life, build up sediment, and smother and damage sensitive bottom habitats such as coral reefs and seagrass beds. Data on ghost nets are widely available for many coastal locations but there has been very limited information from Malaysia specifically Tioman Island. In 2015, Reef Check Malaysia started training local islanders to locate and remove ghost nets from reefs and beaches around Tioman Island. A reporting hotline was set up to gather information on ghost nets. Once vital information was gathered, the local islanders retrieved them and recorded the ghost nets and sent them for proper disposal. A total of 145 ghost nets weighing over 21 t were retrieved from Tioman Island from 2016 to 2022. The volume of ghost nets retrieved showed an increasing trend and were often found in March, April and September. The ghost nets originated from fishermen operating illegally inside the marine protected area (MPA) and legal fishermen operating outside the MPA. Ghost nets find their way to Tioman Island with strong currents and monsoonal winds. Most of the ghost nets retrieved were inside the MPA and on the western side of Tioman Island. Higher human population, shallower waters, shoreline morphology, dominant coral growth design and reef rugosity on the western side of Tioman Island are reasons for higher ghost nets sightings, thus retrieval and management efforts should focus on this side.
Effective marine park management and protection of coral reefs can only happen if managers have adequate knowledge of reef health and area. However, obtaining such information is labor intensive and difficult with limited funding and time. Reef Check Malaysia was engaged by Department of Marine Parks Malaysia to map the coral reefs surrounding Tioman Island Marine Park and document health status and site specific threats. To achieve this, we utilized the Reef Check survey method, a simple, rapid and holistic standardized reef monitoring protocol based on scientific principles. This method is suitable where funds and time are limited. A total of 95 sites surrounding Tioman Island were surveyed with the assistance of certified Reef Check EcoDiver volunteers and representatives from local stakeholders. This citizen science approach proved successful and generated a baseline map revealing a difference in the health of coral reefs between the west and east sides of Tioman Island, where the West had <25% live coral cover as compared to >50% on the East. Combined with data on indicator fish and invertebrates, as well as human and natural impacts, the results suggest that Tioman Island should be separated into three distinctive conservation priority zones to enhance management strategies of this marine park. This is an example of an innovative way to engage and involve local stakeholders in planning conservation and management strategies.
The species lists of scleractinian hard corals in Peninsular Malaysia have not been updated for 15 years. The present study aimed to determine the diversity and abundance patterns of scleractinian hard corals at twenty eight fringing reef sites along the coast of Redang and Tioman Islands. Visual photograph analyses of the coral video transect method revealed a total of 128 species from 47 genera in Redang and 239 species from 55 genera in Tioman. Following recent taxonomy of scleractinian corals, coral surveys and past studies revealed a total of 166 species from 53 genera in Redang and 350 species from 67 genera in Tioman. Current data at both islands presented a total of 358 species from 69 genera and 15 families of scleractinian corals with an additional 8 new species records for the east coast of Peninsular Malaysia. Acropora, Montipora and Porites were the most dominant genera and were found distributed within the coral assemblages. The reefs around both islands can be categorized under “good” coral conditions with the live corals cover from 40.9% to 73.5%. Overall findings indicated that the less affected reef zones by coastal development and human activities at both islands have established good coral conditions and coral genera diversity.
Tioman Island was once a remote fishing village located in the east coast of Peninsular Malaysia. Since touism began, the island has evolved and transformed into a tourist destination. This paper describes the important stages of the evolution of beach resorts in the island from the 1890s to the present using Butler's (1980) Tourism Area Life Cycle model as the research framework. This paper also explains how government policies, economic and social changes, as well as changes in visitor types have affected the growth of resorts as well as the tourism sector in the island over time. Results indicate that the case of Tioman Island is reasonably consistent with Butler's model. The resorts have passed the first four stages of the model and are currently in the " consolidation stage. " The government and private sector are the major players in the transformation of the resorts and the island from one stage to the next.
Tioman Island in Malaysia was once voted one of the most beautiful islands in the world. However, this ranking has gradually slipped, due to development and poor environmental management of the island. The authors employ the stakeholder theory in examining the perceptions of four stakeholder groups (tourists, local residents, government agencies, and business operators) on the environmental problems faced on the island and to identify the parties jointly responsible for solving these problems. A total of 15 problems were identified from 46 exploratory interviews conducted prior to the questionnaire survey. A questionnaire was constructed based on the interview data, and 320 questionnaires were collected from the four stakeholder groups. The results provide support that different stakeholder groups identify different problems and they perceived responsibility for solving these problems. The findings also indicated that problems related to limited road access, neglect of local community, limited phone and internet access, and dirty beaches needed immediate attention.
Mangroves composition and species are richly diverse in Tioman and Tulai Island. A total of 23 mangrove species have been found consisting of exclusive and non-exclusive species in Kg. Juara, Kg. Nipah, Kg. Paya, Kg. Genting and Tulai Island. The abundance mangrove species are Rhizophora X lamarckii, Rhizophora apiculata, Rhizophora mucronata and Brugueira gymnorrhiza. From supervised classification, total of 59.90 hectares mangrove covers have been identified in both islands , with 86.49% in Tioman Island (52.76 hectares) and 13.51% in Tulai Island (7.14 hectares). A new hybrid species has been found (Rhizophora X lamarckii) dominated in Tulai Island, combination between Rhizophora stylosa and Rhizophora apiculata. At the mean time only mangrove area in Teluk Bakau, Tulai Island is considered as the focal destination of tourists to the area. However, other mangrove areas in Tioman Island are also potential to be promoted as tourist destination areas. Although the mangrove area is only a part of the scenery, its presence obviously enhances tourist attraction. The basic facilities such as information counter, walking trails, garbage boxes and toilets are considered necessary. The main information panel and site map should be provided on the mangrove sites. Boardwalks may be constructed for visitor to access the mangrove area without destroying the root system and stand. The actual site of these facilities and on-site information guides should be strategically placed in order to provide beneficial information and as well as to sustain the biophysical stability of the sites. Since mangroves provide various important functions in nature, it hopes that the mangrove educotourism activity will influence the people and community’s attitudes to the environment, conservation and sustainable development in a very positive way.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY As urbanization continues to take place, waste management is becoming the major environmental problem around the world. One of the most vulnerable eco-systems that need attention in this respect is the island. The rapid increase in the density of human population in previously virgin lands for the purpose of leisure and tourism is making the collection, treatment and disposal of waste an insurmountable problem. Present day environmental concerns demand more: along with being safe, waste management must also follow the principles of sustainable development. This paper presents and discusses the current waste management practices and challenges in four tourist islands in Malaysia, namely Redang, Tioman, Pangkor and Langkawi. The study consists of public survey, discussions with local authority staff involved in waste management, discussions with Government officials, review of documents and actual field research. Islands in Malaysia are generating approximately 400 metric tons of solid waste per day. Approximately 60% of the waste are collected and disposed off in non-sanitary landfills. The remaining 35 % were illegally burned/ dumped while 5 % were dumped into ocean. Increasing trends in waste generation were observed in the Islands. Different socio-economic development and the degree of urbanization influenced waste generation rates in the islands. Langkawi (urban island) has the highest waste generation and better waste management in place. Meanwhile, Redang (rural island) generates less waste and showed poor waste management practices. Approximately 100% of landfills in Malaysian islands operate as mere open-dumps that lack proper lining system and without leachate treatment facilities. The landfills will be filled by 2015 if current trends of waste generation and handling continue. Alternative landfill sites are not available. Therefore there is limitation on landfill disposal in islands. As an alternative, incinerators have been used as disposal method. Island waste has equally 42.5 % compostable and 42.5 % recyclables in the waste stream, composting can be incorporated at all the landfills together with an integrated system of recycling. Studies indicate that if MSW is separated at source and treated in an integrated approach, almost 85 % of the waste can be diverted from the landfill. Other treatment options such as recovery, recycling, reuse (3Rs) have been successfully practiced in some urban islands. However the effort for 3Rs is driven by government incentives or regulations. Overall waste management in Malaysian Islands is still in an infant stage and challenges encountered were aesthetically displeasing sites, inefficient waste collection/ transportation, improper waste disposal method, marine pollution and lack of public awareness. An integrated approach to solid waste management can deliver both environmental and economic sustainability to these islands.
Pulau Tioman is one of the popular tourism islands in Malaysia and was gazetted as Marine Park in 1995 to protect the valuable marine resources. Nowadays, species compositions of seaweed are decreasing gradually due to the major environmental disturbance. Thus, due to the concerning on the availability of the seaweeds, the assessment was employed from October 2011 until April 2016 in order to observe the changes in terms of density and richness of the marine algae. The methodology were specimen collection, preservation of the sample, preparation of digital images, specimen identification and herbarium specimen preparation. The herbarium specimens were deposited to Algae Herbarium, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia. The outcomes of the study have recorded 76 taxa out of 1176 collected specimens. The recorded taxa were from division of Chlorophyta, Rhodophyta, Phaeophyta and Cyanophyta. Chlorophyta is reported having the highest number of taxa for every assessment, followed by Rhodophyta, Phaeophyta and the least number of taxa is Cyanophyta. Over six years assessment, started from 2011, the species density were gradually change, then it was reduced suddenly in 2013. The reduction in species density was twofold , later the species density getting lower and constant until now. There were several species noticed as new record in Pulau Tioman and Pulau Tulai which are Acetabularia clavata, Anadyomene plicata, Caulerpa cupressoides, Chaetomorpha ligustica, Dictyosphaeria versluysii, Gelidiella trinitatensis and Padina pavonica. The work has successfully observed the changes in terms of density of the seaweed species throughout six years assessment.
Coral reefs provide a number of ecosystem services including coastal defense from storms, the generation of building materials, and fisheries. It is increasingly clear that the management of reef resources requires an ecosystem approach in which extractive activities are weighed against the needs of the ecosystem and its functions rather than solely those of the fishery. Here, I use a spatially explicit simulation model of a Caribbean coral reef to examine the ecosystem requirements for grazing which is primarily conducted by parrotfishes (Scaridae). The model allows the impact of fishing grazers to be assessed in the wider context of other ecosystem processes including coral-algal competition, hurricanes, and mass extinction of the herbivorous urchin Diadema antillarum. Using a new analytical model of scarid grazing, it is estimated that parrotfishes can only maintain between 10% and 30% of a structurally complex forereef in a grazed state. Predictions from this grazing model were then incorporated into a broader simulation model of the ecosystem. Simulations predict that scarid grazing is unable to maintain high levels of coral cover (> or = 30%) when severe hurricanes occur on a decadal basis, such as occurs in parts of the northern Caribbean. However, reefs can withstand such intense disturbance when grazing is undertaken by both scarids and the urchin Diadema. Scarid grazing is predicted to allow recovery from hurricanes when their incidence falls to 20 years or less (e.g., most of Central and South America). Sensitivity analyses revealed that scarid grazing had the most acute impact on model behavior, and depletion led to the emergence of a stable, algal-dominated community state. Under conditions of heavy grazer depletion, coral cover was predicted to decline rapidly from an initial level of 30% to less than 1% within 40 years, even when hurricane frequency was low at 60 years. Depleted grazers caused a population bottleneck in juvenile corals in which algal overgrowth caused elevated levels of postsettlement mortality and resulted in a bimodal distribution of coral sizes. Several new hypotheses were generated including a region-wide change in the spatial heterogeneity of coral reefs following extinction of Diadema. The management of parrotfishes on Caribbean reefs is usually approached implicitly through no-take marine reserves. The model predicts that depletion of grazers in nonreserve areas can severely limit coral accretion. Other studies have shown that low coral accretion can reduce the structural complexity and therefore quality of the reef habitat for many organisms. A speculative yet rational inference from the model is that failure to manage scarid populations outside reserves will have a profoundly negative impact on the functioning of the reserve system and status of non-reserve reefs.
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