Publication Details

Artificial Reef as Potential Tool for Establishment of New Marine Ecosystem: Pulau Tioman Case Study

Studies and monitoring were conducted between 2007 and 2010 to determine the effectiveness of concrete artificial reef blocks developed by NAHRIM called the WABCORE as potential tool to aid establishment of new marine ecosystem. The WABCORE blocks are first deployed and submerged in Panuba Bay, Tioman Island, Pahang in September 2006. Preliminary positioning survey was conducted using side scan imaging to locate and identified each of deployed WABCORE blocks. In-situ quantitative survey of subtidal epibiota assemblages including sessile invertebrates and other live forms found on the WABCORE blocks were evaluated using quadrat technique whereas coral reef fishes and invertebrates were assessed by non-destructive visual census. Total coverage for sessile marine organisms recorded an average of 17.02% between April 2008 and May 2010, with the highest being 29% in August 2008. A total of 46 hard corals were discovered around the AR site. A total of 7 genera were determined for soft corals whereas 3 genera were recorded for gorgonians. As for coral reef fishes, 33 types of fishes from 33 families were recorded. Although the total coverage for sessile marine organisms is still low, mainly to surrounding anthropogenic factors, the overall result showed that WABCORE deployed at Panuba Bay, Tioman Island exhibit the potential of establishing new habitat for corals and other sessile organisms.