THE UPSIDE DOWN WORLD OF MALAYSIAN CORALS-SELANGOR
NYRE Photo Story Competition 2023
1st place - Photo Story
18-24 years old
SELANGOR - SEPTEMBER 14, 2023
By BRYAN YONG, UNIVERSITI MALAYSIA TERENGGANU
Live coral trade exists in Malaysia. Most coral species in Malaysia are protected under CITES Appendix II which allows for regulated trade. However, poachers will kill corals in the process of wild extraction and sometimes mistaken totally protected Appendix I species as tradeable species. Sabah has stopped issuing trade permits for live coral exports due to rampant wild coral extraction which has been reflected in CITES export data since 2020. Sustainable coral hatcheries have been on the rise in response. Some coral breeders seek full government regulations and practice zero wild extractions to breed corals to meet international demand.
All corals sold in aquarium trade must be regulated and certified to prevent laundering of wild-extracted corals into captive-bred corals.
CITES Appendix II species may be mistaken as Appendix I. It is important for every piece traded to be regulated.
Peninsular Malaysia remains the only region where coral exports is still active. Sabah has stopped exporting wild corals since 2020.
CITES and Department of Fisheries regulate all live corals traded to prevent unsustainable trade and CITES Appendix I species poaching.
Regulated indoor coral farming is on the rise to outcompete traders who source their corals illegally from the wild.