Kajian Tukun Marang Fasa 1

Artificial reefs offer promising solutions for enhancing marine resource management by providing additional habitat, promoting biodiversity, and improving ecosystem resilience. However, their success relies heavily on effective monitoring and evaluation, which have been lacking in many projects. A critical element in understanding how artificial reefs can be integrated into a more general marine resource management framework depends on the ability to evaluate their performance. Despite significant developments in construction and design, artificial reef projects have been criticized for a lack of planning in the development of adequate monitoring programs that will provide scientists and managers with essential information.

Artificial reefs (ARs) in Malaysia are referred to any man-made structures or natural objects placed in marine water bodies. The ARs development is part of a government program to increase fisheries resources, prevent encroachment of trawlers, reduce conflict between commercial and traditional fishers and increase opportunities for small-scale fishers to improve their income from fishing (DoFM, 2008). A wide variety of materials such as old tires, concrete, ceramic, PVC, fiberglass etc. have been used to build ARs. First government ARs program began in 1970’s using discarded tires, followed by simple designs ARs of wooden fishing boats, Polyvinyl Chloride pipe (PVC), reinforced concrete and ceramic sewerage pipe (Ahmad, 2015). In 2006, ARs program involved a construction of large, heavy and robust structure using durable materials such as reinforced concrete and steel to deter the encroachment of destructive fishing gears especially trawlers, along the coastal and in Marine Protected Areas. These new artificial reefs addressed several issues such as fish behavior, target species, physical oceanography and marine engineering into their design (Ahmad et al., 2018). From 2006 until 2019, a total of 215 new ARs sites were established in Malaysia by the Malaysia Department of Fisheries.

Marang District located in the state of Terengganu and the Marang town is about 18 km to the south of Kuala Terengganu, the capital of the state of Terengganu. The town is located on the South China Sea coast and on the main coastal road connecting Kuantan and Kuala Terengganu. The main economic activity in the area is fishery although tourism is also gaining importance. Around 150 years ago, Marang was a fishing village with the majority of its population working as fishermen. Due to the fact that the village of Marang, which is located at the estuary of Marang River and near the island of Pulau Kapas, is a meeting point for fishermen.

The aim of this research is to assess the ecological services offered by artificial reefs in Marang Waters. Specific objectives include:

a. To investigate the status of ARs physical condition and stability on the sea bed.
b. To determine physical and chemical parameters of seawater at ARs.
c. To determine biodiversity and abundance of living organisms associated with ARs.