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

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.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: nrosli@wwf.org.my

Liew Hui Ling

Communications Officer

Marine Programme

Email: hlliew@wwf.org.my

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