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Kota Kinabalu: More than 140kg of ghost nets have been removed in waters off Tunku Abdul Rahman Park in conjunction with this year’s International Coastal Clean-up (ICC) Day 2024 from September 10 to 13.

Reef Check Malaysia (RCM) Programme Manager in West Coast Sabah Nadhirah Mohd Rifai said 25 dedicated volunteer divers braved underwater currents to remove the nets covering reefs.

“It was devastating to see our reefs covered with ghost nets,” she said. The first day was dedicated to marking ghost nets and removing the nets followed in the following days.

"Unpredictable weather forced organisers to postpone the final day of net removal to a later date in the month.

Participants of the underwater clean-up.

“We are truly grateful for the support, be it from funding or manpower coming from various government agencies, non-government organisation and our team of dedicated volunteers for coming together to remove this threat from our reefs,” she said in a statement.

Marine Research Foundation (MRF) Senior Conservation Officer Liyana Izwin Khalid said the organisation’s ongoing commitment is to not only clearing existing marine debris but also preventing future marine pollution. 

She said one of the key focus areas at MRF is reducing marine debris in Sabah’s waters through targeted removal efforts and fostering collaborations among stakeholders. 

“These clean-ups are not just about conserving marine biodiversity, they directly support industries that depend on healthy marine ecosystems – including tourism and fisheries. Local fishers, coastal communities and tour operators benefit from the healthier ocean they depend on for their livelihoods,” she said.

The ICC Day 2024 is a global event that usually takes place in September where volunteers unite in an effort to rid the ocean and coastlines marine debris, for an objective to protect fragile marine ecosystems.

The initiative was organised by the RCM in collaboration with the MRF and funded by the Ministry of Tourism, Culture, and Environment Sabah (KePKAS). 

Key partners included Sabah Parks, Scuba Junkie SEAS and the Sabah Dive Rangers, with support from dive operators Scuba Junkie and Go Aquatic.