Search

Coral reefs freed from ‘ghost nets’

Facebook
Twitter
WhatsApp
Telegram
Email
A diver removing a ghost net during last Wednesday’s mission.

MIRI: A special team of divers called Borneo Ghost Nets Hunters that carried out an operation dubbed Ops Nemo City 1 last Wednesday managed to remove 84kg or 50 metres of lost or abandoned fishing nets on coral reefs.

Fishing nets and other gear lost or abandoned at sea are hazardous to the marine ecosystem.

The mission team captain was Zainal Lai accompanied by Jimmy Yong (manager of diving company, Co.Co.Dive Miri), while the six-diver operation itself which lasted for two hours was head by Iqbal Abdollah.

Three diving students under the guidance of an instructor simply referred to as Aniq were brought along to watch how the nets were removed from the sea bed.

A diver removing a ghost net during last Wednesday’s mission.

It was observed that the nets have totally killed the coral reefs causing them to be covered by algae. This is especially so in shallow reefs which are less than eight metres deep. Bad algae at this depth has covered the corals so much thus blocking sunlight that is needed for photosynthesis.

“We have to do two dives to measure and then remove the nets that more than 3,000 square metres of beautiful coral reefs made up of sea anemone, hard and soft corals and sponges. No wonder the area is called Nemo City by divers,” said Iqbal, founder of Future Ocean Borneo, a local non-profit social initiative set up to protect and conserve marine environment all over Borneo.

Nemo (in the movie “Finding Nemo”) is a clownfish often get protection from sea anemones which have stinging tentacles. Clownfish are unaffected by the sting.

“Approximately 200 more metres of nets are still underwater and could still harm marine life and kill the coral reefs”, Iqbal pointed out.

A similar mission, Ops Nemo City 2, will be held on May 5 by the Northern Sarawak Journalists Association (NSJA) and Miri Fire and Rescue Department. They will be assisted by a technical team from Borneo Ghost Nets Hunters and Co.Co.Dive Miri which will handle the logistics.

The Borneo Ghost Nets Hunters which is under the management of Future Ocean Borneo is a special team of professional scuba divers at the level of Divemaster and Dive Instructor.

“We encourage more companies to join hands with us to save our beautiful coral reefs from the ghost nets. We will provide value-for-money dive packages to those who want to get some eco-diving experience,” said Yong told reporters.

Future Ocean Borneo and Borneo Ghost Nets Hunters are looking for cooperation with like-minded organisations to join or fund their missions like what Co.Co.Dive has been doing.

Ghost net hunting and removal is an eco-diving-based tourism activity offered as a package aimed at saving the coral reefs while having fun.

“We request for support in terms of funding and other forms of assistance, especially from Sarawak Tourism, Arts, Culture, Youth and Sports Minister, Datuk Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah who is a scuba diver himself,” Iqbal said.

Divers who are interested in the offer may contact Jimmy Yong of Co.Co.Dive Miri at 012-8712281.

More missions will be organised soon as more sites with ghost nets have been detected.

Download from Apple Store or Play Store.