Kuala Lumpur (VNA) – Malaysia is stepping up measures to conserve marine wildlife amid growing pressure from climate change, fishing activities and increasingly stringent requirements from import markets.
The move is seen as a strategic effort to protect biodiversity while maintaining the international competitiveness of the country’s fisheries sector.
Accordingly, the Fisheries Malaysia Department (FMD) is revising regulations under Article 27 of the Fisheries Act 1985, specifically the Fisheries (Control of Endangered Species of Fish) Regulations 1999. The proposed amendments focus on adding nine marine mammal species to the protected list to strengthen the legal framework against population decline.
In a statement issued this week, FMD Director-General Datuk Adnan Hussain said the revisions would tighten management, enhance law enforcement and address threats such as bycatch, marine pollution and habitat degradation.
He noted that all whale and dolphin species recorded in Malaysian waters need closer monitoring as marine ecosystems face increasing pressure.
The proposed additions include several whale and dolphin species classified by international conservation organisations as vulnerable due to ship strikes, plastic waste and industrial activities. Experts believe that stronger protection for these species will also help maintain the balance of marine ecosystems.
Alongside the legal revisions, the FMD is developing a National Action Plan for dugong conservation. The species is considered an important indicator of coastal ecosystem health as it depends directly on seagrass beds, which support fisheries productivity, protect shorelines and store blue carbon. Malaysia’s ecosystem-based approach will focus on marine spatial management, empowering coastal communities and reducing the risk of unintended catches.
Adnan Hussain stressed that enhancing domestic protection also aims to ensure compliance with international regulations, particularly standards enforced by the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)./.
