BINTULU: Eighty artificial reef balls have been deployed in the Kuala Nyalau-Samalaju waters to help restore marine ecosystems and support the livelihoods of local fishing communities.
Infrastructure and Port Development Deputy Minister, Datuk Majang Renggi, said the initiative would enhance breeding habitats for fish and other marine life while helping to curb encroachment by trawlers into traditional fishing grounds.
“This programme will bring many benefits, particularly in restoring the marine ecosystem. Fish populations will increase, along with other marine life such as coral reefs.
“This will certainly benefit fishermen in the area, especially those in Kampung Nyalau, where more than half of the residents depend on fishing as their source of income,” he said in a news report by Sarawak Public Communication Unit (UKAS).
Majang told reporters this after the artificial reef ball deployment programme in the Kuala Nyalau-Samalaju waters today.
The corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiative was jointly organised by Pembinaan Tukun Bebola (Sarawak) Sdn Bhd (PTBSB), the Sarawak Forestry Corporation (SFC), and Bintulu Port Holdings Berhad (BPHB).
A total of 80 reef balls comprising 26 Ultra Balls, 46 Bay Balls and eight Layer Cake Reef Balls were deployed during the programme.
SFC’s General Manager, Abang Arabi Abang Aimran, who was also present, said artificial reef projects in Sarawak were implemented through collaboration between the government, corporate companies, government-linked companies (GLCs) and non-governmental organisations (NGOs).
He said the collaborative approach enabled more marine habitat conservation projects to be carried out sustainably throughout the state.
Since 2022, PTBSB has contributed 467 artificial reef balls at several locations across Sarawak, with the initiative forming part of a long-term target to deploy 5,000 reef balls statewide.
