PORT DICKSON, June 8 — A 26.97-square kilometre (km2) area in Melaka and a 299.0-km2 area in Gugusan Pulau Lima Johor have been gazetted as marine parks under Section 41, Part IX, of the Fisheries Act 1985 this year.
Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Food Security Chan Foong Hin said the 52 marine parks in national waters have, so far, reached an area of 25,358.39 km2, equivalent to 5.35 per cent of the country’s total Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) of 473,952 km2.
“This shows the wealth of natural resources (fisheries) in the country’s waters.
“These efforts will continue with the addition of the Dugong Sanctuary covering 1,508.1 km2 and the waters of Pulau Layang-Layang covering 40.27 km2 to be designated as a marine protected area by 2025,” he said during the World Ocean Day 2023 celebration today.
He said the ministry was committed to expanding marine protected areas to conserve endangered species and appreciate the treasures of marine biodiversity.
— Bernama
