Volunteers removing ghost nets during the Underwater Clean Up at the Tunku Abdul Rahman Park. – Photo courtesy from MRF. KOTA KINABALU (June 12): Twenty volunteer divers braved the open sea to remove more than 90kg of ghost nets in the Underwater Clean Up at the Tunku Abdul Rahman Park here on Monday.
Organised by the Marine Research Foundation (MRF), and in collaboration with the Rotary Club of Kinabalu Sutera (RCKS), the volunteers including divers, marine biologists and conservation enthusiasts, removed the ghost nets trapped and tangled in coral reefs in the waters around the Tunku Abdul Rahman Park. Ghost nets are fishing nets that have been lost or abandoned in the water. They pose a significant threat to marine life, as ghost nets don’t only catch fish, they also entangle sea turtles, other sea creatures and could potentially destroy coral reefs.
“Ghost nets can be detrimental to marine life, affecting everything from fish to sea turtles. I’ve personally witnessed the heartbreaking sight of sea turtles trapped and drowned in these nets. “It’s crucial that we remove them immediately.
Each ghost net removed is a life potentially saved,” said Marine Research Foundation Senior Conservation Officer, Liyana Izwin Khalid. “We may not solve the overarching issue of marine pollution overnight, but we can’t ignore it either. “While we work on developing long-term solutions, MRF will continue to do what we can to remove marine debris from our oceans through di.
