Seas under siege

BEING a nation surrounded by seas, Malaysia’s reliance on the seas cannot be overemphasised. The seas provide sustenance, resources, transportation and livelihood to many people.
They also act as a conduit to events that have shaped our history.
They facilitate an estimated 95% of our international trade that is pivotal to our socio-economic growth, and are important to our strategic interests. To underscore the value of the seas to the nation, the Malay term ‘tanah air’ for ‘motherland’ consists of the word air which means water, in reference, and deference, to the bountiful seas that surround this blessed nation.
Despite our dependence on the seas, we have been nonchalant towards the upkeep of the seas.
We count on the seas to provide us with riches aplenty. We eagerly extract their resources but care little to protect the marine environment.
We seem to think that the seas can offer infinite amount of resources and have endless regenerative powers to replenish the resources for our consumption.
There are many worrying signs that the seas are under enormous strain arising from our antagonistic and irresponsible attitude towards the upkeep of the seas.
These symptoms include dramatic depletion of fish stocks, eroding coastal lines, increasing pollution from sea- and land-based sources, presence of invasive alien species, deforestation of mangrove areas and destruction of coral reefs, among many other telltale signs. If these threats are not worrying enough, the seas also face the growing threat of climate change that can cause irreplaceable loss and damage to their resources, habitat and ecosystems.
Recent frequent occurrence of typhoons, hurricanes and tsunami underscores the devastating havoc that angry seas can wreak.
The imprints of climate change arising from mankind’s rapacious exploitation of Mother Nature and irresponsible behaviours towards the environment can be seen in some of these ‘natural disasters’.
Given the multiple threats faced by the seas, it is imperative that more concrete and urgent actions are taken to mitigate the risks and address the challenges emanating from overexploitation and poor maintenance of the seas.
The need for the ‘stakeholders of the seas’ – which include among others shipping companies, shippers, coastal communities, industries, fishermen, maritime-related organisations, environmentalists, scientists, regulatory and enforcement agencies – to step up efforts to mitigate the manifold threats faced by the seas has become urgent.
Much effort has been undertaken by various stakeholders to protect and manage Malaysia’s seas and protect their resources.
While some of their initiatives have borne results, our seas are still vulnerable to many man-made threats, and our coastal zones are exposed to natural threats.
We cannot afford to think that we will be spared from the emerging threat of climate change and rising ocean levels that can threaten marine ecosystems and resources and coastal communities. To this end, the stakeholders of the seas must increase their efforts to ensure that offshore activities and along the seas are carried out in a sustainable and environmentally friendly fashion.
This is imperative to ensure those whose livelihood depends on the seas can continue to harvest their riches, and the nation’s socio-economic and strategic interests are safeguarded. For this to happen, an all-out approach needs to be undertaken not only to address the issue of pollution and overuse of the seas but to instill awareness among the members of the public of the importance of protecting the seas.
Constant efforts must be carried out to educate the public of the need to use the seas in a responsible fashion and to inculcate a love for the seas. To protect the seas, a common national vision articulating sustainable use of coastal and marine resources in the country must be articulated.
It is becoming apparent that Malaysia needs to have a National Ocean Policy that provides a blueprint for the good management, responsible and sustainable use and protection of the nation’s seas.
To this end, it is encouraging that the National Oceanography Department under the Prime Minister’s Department has kickstarted efforts to establish such a policy to help government agencies, policymakers and other stakeholders to address the gaps in the use, management and protection of the seas and to conserve our marine resources.
Given the fluid, expansive and trans-boundary nature of the seas, and the multiplicity of complex issues and challenges they face, governing the seas using a piecemeal basis is no longer effective.
For such a policy to be established, solid partnerships arrangements, strong regulatory framework, effective mechanisms, adequate technical capacity and resources, political will and strong public support must be put in place.
To ensure the success of ocean conservation, protection and sustainable development programmes, there must be strong partnership among regulatory agencies, NGOs, conservation and management programmes, research institutions, private sector and coastal communities. It is heartening to note that many initiatives to promote sustainable use and management of marine resources and environment have been carried out in the country.
Some of the efforts are still nascent and will take a considerable amount of time, resources and commitment to bear fruit.
But efforts in areas such as reversing beach erosion, replanting of mangrove saplings, and protection of endangered species have shown some success. These should provide encouragement to those who tirelessly work to conserve the seas and their resources.
Make no mistake: the challenges facing the seas are manifold and complex, the amount of resources required to address them enormous, and the solutions not easily forthcoming. However, we must make it a priority to act quickly to protect the beleaguered seas.
The task to reverse the damage already inflicted by mankind to the seas is no doubt daunting, but it is pivotal that we do not waver in our efforts to protect and preserve the seas. The fate of the seas depend on the actions we take today.
The choice is ours: either we leave future generations to inherit clean, safe and healthy seas, or we will be held accountable for saddling them with distressed seas due to our recklessness, irresponsibility, indecisiveness and inaction.

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