Chew, Chee Wei (2005) Coral cover and abundance of groupers (family serranidae) in the shallow waters of Lankayan Island, Sabah. Universiti Malaysia Sabah. (Unpublished)
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Abstract
Few studies document the many benefits of establishing marine protected areas in Malaysia from empirical studies. In this study, I document the ecological benefits of protecting Lankayan Island and the surrounding fringing and path reefs in Sabah, Malaysia. Since 1989 a resort was built to cater to tourists in Lankayan Island, the island was only officially gazette as a marine protected area in the year 2001 as an effort to preserve its ecology. The fish line transect and the point sampling transect from the Reef Check Method was utilized and modified to obtain an assessment of the condition of the reef ecosystem. Three major aspects were taken into account: an estimate of the diversity ofSerranidae (groupers or kerapu), an estimate of biomass of the serranids, and the correlation between coral cover and serranids. A total of 32 sites were surveyed and conducted during the month of April to May 2004. The average estimation of diversity was about 0.462, whilst the average estimation of total biomass obtained was more than nine kilogram, and there is a weak correlation between the density of coral cover and number of serranids most probably was due to underestimation during sampling. These fmdings have documented the status of the coral reefs and grouper populations in Lankayan and established a benchmark that will serve as a reference for future monitoring programs in further assessment of the success of conservation management of this island and its marine resources. The estimates of grouper populations on the reefs can also serve as baseline data to be achieved by other marine protected areas due to the absence of the estimate from a pristine reef. Protection of the coral reefs around Lankayan from destructive fishing has allowed the reefs and its fish population, particularly the commercially important groupers (Serranidae) to thrive. The benefit of protection can be further demonstrated in the increase of biomass of groupers.
| Item Type: | Academic Exercise |
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| Keyword: | Lankayan Island, ecological benefit, marine protected area, diversity, coral reef, population, Serranidae, biomass of grouper |
| Subjects: | S Agriculture > SH Aquaculture. Fisheries. Angling |
| Department: | SCHOOL > School of Science and Technology |
| Depositing User: | SITI AZIZAH BINTI IDRIS - |
| Date Deposited: | 10 Oct 2013 15:24 |
| Last Modified: | 17 Oct 2017 12:12 |
| URI: | https://eprints.ums.edu.my/id/eprint/7225 |
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