KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 22 — Malaysia has only gazetted a paltry 2,769.12 square kilometres (sq km) of the country’s seas that the government had identified as marine protected areas (MPA) since 2019.
This is just 8.9 per cent of the targeted 31,261.25sq km, the Auditor-General (A-G) said in its latest report for the year 2022 released today.
According to the report, that means a total of 51 MPAs nationwide, which are in Johor, Pahang, Kedah, Melaka, Terengganu, Negeri Sembilan, Sarawak and Labuan.
“Out of 51 MPAs, 42 are marine parks, eight fishing restricted areas and one protected areas for sea cucumbers,” the A-G said in the report.
The A-G said the small area of actual gazettement is less than satisfactory.
It said there were many other weaknesses in the management of the MPAs.
Among those it listed were the collection of marine park fees for revenue, the management of artificial reefs, the maintenance of office buildings in the MPAs, as well as the coordination of its public awareness programmes.
Malaysia has put the MPAs into six categories: marine parks, restricted fishing areas, protected areas for sea cucumbers, state parks, national parks and conservation areas.
The management of marine parks, restricted fishing areas and those designated for sea cucumbers under the MPA fall on the Department of Fisheries.
The latest national audit report also noted that the last time the Fisheries Department gazetted the list of MPAs was in 2008.
The A-G report noted that the Fisheries Department had planned and identified 24 places in five states for gazettement between 2014 and 2018 with the aid of an appointed consultant.
These are Johor, Melaka, Negeri Sembilan, Kedah and Perak.
“The area identified is 2,688.32sq km,” the A-G said in the report.
A further audit review showed that a total of 24 MPs are still in the process of being gazetted as of December 2022.
“A total of 10 locations have received approval from the respective state governments, while 14 locations are still under the process of discussion.
“Overall, the audit analysis found the MPA gazetting period takes up to six to 11 years covering various stages such as proposal, consultation, study and approval by the state government,” the A-G said in the report.
