KOTA KINABALU: Plans to better protect marine mammals in the country are afoot, with Malaysia’s first-ever National Plan of Action (NPOA) set to be finalised soon.

When finalised, enforcement authorities, industry players, and the public can expect stronger laws and enforcement, measures to reduce bycatch and deaths of marine mammals caused by fishing activities, and protection of critical habitats.

Lawmakers and conservationists expect to expand research, monitoring, and community education efforts for the conservation and management of marine mammals, said Dr Nicolas Pilcher, Director of the Marine Research Foundation (MRF).

He said these were some of the practical solutions the foundation, along with its partners, including the Fisheries Department Malaysia, was considering, with support from Yayasan Sime Darby.

“While we work with the Fisheries Department Malaysia towards finalising the draft NPOA document, we want to acknowledge everyone who is already doing incredible work on the ground to protect Malaysia’s marine mammals.

“This is an important policy step forward in the complex journey of conservation, and builds on all of the research and conservation already underway,” Dr Pilcher said after a workshop to finalise this NPOA here, on Dec 4.

Highlighting the diversity of Malaysia’s marine mammals, Dr Vivian Kuit, Scientific Officer at a marine research and conservation NGO - MareCet, informed the gathering that Malaysia hosts at least 27 marine mammal species, making it one of Southeast Asia’s most diverse.

These include coastal residents such as the Irrawaddy dolphin, Indo-Pacific humpback dolphin, finless porpoise, and dugong, as well as seasonal visitors like Bryde’s whales and spinner dolphins, she said.

“These species occupy a wide range of habitats from Kuching Bay in Sarawak and Johor’s east coast near Tioman Island, to Brunei Bay shared by Sabah and Sarawak, Sabah’s waters including Tun Mustapha Park, and the Langkawi archipelago,” she added.

Dr Kuit noted that, despite their diversity, decades of coastal development and increased marine activity have placed increasing stress on these species.

Key threats include accidental catch and entanglement in fishing gears, loss of critical habitats, particularly seagrass beds, mangroves, and estuaries, underwater noise pollution from seismic surveys, as well as vessel strikes, especially involving larger whale species, she said.

During the event, participants were briefed on plans and proposals to finalise the National Plan of Action (NPOA) for the Conservation and Management of Marine Mammals 2026-2035, a coordinated strategy to safeguard whales, dolphins, porpoises and dugongs.

The workshop brought together key stakeholders from across the country, including federal and state agencies such as fisheries, wildlife and forestry departments, enforcement bodies, research institutions and non-governmental organisations (NGOs).

Participants reviewed the national plan, exchanged insights, and discussed key priority actions needed to support its implementation, including research and monitoring, mitigation measures, protection and restoration of marine mammal habitats, and strengthening cooperation and data sharing…

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