Moving towards local participation and comanagement of Tioman Island Marine Park

Abstract

Tioman Archipelago is a Marine Protected Area (MPA) off the coast of Pahang, Malaysia. It is inhabited by a small local population that depends on tourism as its main source of income. Its rich biodiversity is the main attraction to visitors, yet it is threatened by the growing tourism market. In 1994 the waters extending 3.7 km from the shore surrounding the island were gazetted as an MPA under the provisions of the Fisheries Act of 1985. The Department of Fisheries Malaysia (DoF) is responsible for the management and enforcement of the MPA, with minimal or no involvement of the local communities. A study conducted by Reef Check Malaysia (RCM) in 2014 with the local communities revealed that the vast majority showed an interest in being involved in management and conservation efforts but did not have the qualifications or the means to do so. In 2015, the Tioman Marine Conservation Group (TMCG) was formalized as a platform for interested local communities to undergo a series of training programs to empower them in building ecological resilience and marine resource management processes. The TMCG has since executed many conservation programs including ghost net removals, mooring buoy management, coral predator control, coral rehabilitation, reef monitoring surveys, community consultations, promotion of responsible tourism standards, and cleanups. RCM provided training, oversight, and funding. As of 2023, there are 80 members from each of the island’s seven villages. In 2019 the TMCG was officially recognized by the DoF as one of its strategic partners under its Reef Care program. This paper details how Tioman Island Marine Park moves from a top-down management approach towards local participation and a comanagement approach.