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RBC Divers Return to Tioman Island

For the past four years, RBC Malaysia has returned to the shores of Tioman Island to continue their efforts to protect the island’s beaches and ocean floor

Since 2015, RBC Malaysia has developed a powerful partnership with Reef Check Malaysia (RCM).

In May 2018, 40 RBC divers returned to Tioman Island to continue our efforts with RCM and the Tioman Marine Conservation Group to protect, restore and revive the fragile coral reef ecosystems and clean the shoreline and its surroundings.

On land, volunteers made 10 recycling bins from mesh wire. This is part of a community co-management effort that supports local residents and the government in taking accountability in local environmental conservation.

In addition, RBC volunteers recycled approximately 150 glass bottles by crushing them into sand, which was then used to make five artificial reefs. More than 350 kilograms of trash was cleared from the mangroves of Tulai beach.

Volunteers found that apart from ropes and nets collected, nearly 10% of plastic bottles found originated from Thailand, Vietnam and some from as far as China. A total of 1,700 plastic bottles were collected.

RBC volunteer divers also continued their efforts to rehabilitate the coral reef bed by removing nets trapped in the seabed, planting new corals on nursery frames and removing coral-destroying starfish and snails.

Donations made each year supports RCM’s coral reef monitoring program, which continues to raise awareness of the value and protection of the local coral reefs and marine environment.