Dynamite fishing in the Abdul Rahman National Park

[Sami]

I have spent the last two days diving in the Abdul Rahman National Park just off Kota Kinabalu, Borneo, Malaysia. The diving was enjoyable although the visibility was not great. However, it was disconcerting to hear the booms of exploding dynamite. This could be heard both days. During the final dive of the second day, my buddy and I were in the shallows of a reef when there suddenly was a boom so loud that it actually startled both of us. The first words my buddy said after we surfaced was "that was close" and believe me, it felt like it was, even though it probably was a bit away.

Yes, we are talking about ongoing dynamite fishing, WITHIN the national park. With divers in the water. This sort of thing pisses me off. Not only are these "fishermen" destroying the reefs and depleting the aquatic life, they are also putting people in danger. I really don't want to be around when one of these bozos decides to drop a stick of dynamite on top of me. In reality I guess that the diveboat would make them keep away, but it nonetheless does not feel very comforting.

The staff at the diveshop keeps calling the police, but with no results. You can see the police go out, but they keep coming back empty-handed. The word among the divers is that the police does not really want to get involved.

Why is this allowed to go on? What can we do to make the government intervene? To me, this seems to demonstrate that the local Malaysian government does not care about protecting its underwater treasures. If there was a will to put a stop to the dynamite fishing, of course it would be done. After all, we are talking about a national park that could be easily patrolled by speedboat from Kota Kinabalu, the state capital of Sabah.

Keep in mind that this is in a national park, where the police at least pretends to care. Imagine what must be going on elsewhere, outside of the national parks... :sad_2:

 

[Zippsy]

Keep in mind that this is in a national park, where the police at least pretends to care. Imagine what must be going on elsewhere, outside of the national parks... :sad_2:

No need to imagine. Just dive in the Philippines. Around Cebu, for exaample, should give you a good idea.

 

[pelan-pelan]

We were there some years ago and had the same experience. Dynamiting makes the fish float to the surface - and can have a similar effect on divers.

As for what you can do - well until the government realise that they need the Marine Park . . . . .

 

[malaysia-islands]

Bear in mind the majority of population in Tunku Abdul Rahman Marine Park are Filipino immigrants (some are illegal). They mostly reside on Pulau Gaya. A lot of have been said about the crime (contraband smuggling, robbery, etc). Not too surprised with the bombing because it is their practice, not just the Filipino immigrants but also locals.

Even the local government couldn't do anything about the illegals for many years now. Let alone fish bombing that will seem the least importance to them right now. Sad indeed.

How about writing to a newspaper?

 

[nuswhl]

OK. there goes another dive site.
Seems like Thailand is the only country that knows protecting the reef works for their own befefit.

 

[malaysia-islands]

OK. there goes another dive site.
Seems like Thailand is the only country that knows protecting the reef works for their own befefit.

Well sir, that's not true.

The practice of East Malaysians / Filipino archipelago, they have been fish-bombing even before scuba was invented. It takes time to get this practice out of their daily system.

Fishermen in Terengganu (Redang, Perhentian, Lang Tengah), Pahang (Tioman) and Johor (Aur, Pemanggil, Sibu) do NOT use fish bombs as their traditional method of fishing. Similar could be said to those fishermen from the islands in southern Thailand. Hence, in this region, enforcing marine park regulations are mostly pinned down to chasing fishing trawlers off the marine park boundary. The authorities do not have to worry about fish bombing in the first place.

In East Malaysia / Borneo / southern Phillippines, the situation is different.

 

[Jason Ooi]

traditional Dynamite fishing is illegally in Malaysia, Tuanku Abdul Rahman National Park is marine protection, bomb could be around somewhere island.

 

[malaysia-islands]

Yes, the keyword is traditional, meaning these people have been fish bombing since slice bread was invented. It takes education and enforcement to change this old-habit-die-hard thing.

In Peninsula Malaysia + southern Thailand, fish bombing is not really a "traditional" method of fishing

 

[Jason Ooi]

Yes; need enforcement to transform the rare educate local fisherman.....

Yes, the keyword is traditional, meaning these people have been fish bombing since slice bread was invented. It takes education and enforcement to change this old-habit-die-hard thing.

In Peninsula Malaysia + southern Thailand, fish bombing is not really a "traditional" method of fishing

 

[malaysia-islands]

Well, bear in mind these people barely read any newspaper, let alone reading whatever we're trying to preach on the internet. It takes a lot to implement change in their mindset