The involvement of Indigenous Peoples and Local Community is crucial in ensuring an inclusive and comprehensive conservation strategy. – Photo by Forever Sabah
SANDAKAN (Oct 13): Members of the indigenous communities, government agencies, civil society groups and research institutes have come together in the Sabah State Conference on Community Based Marine Resource Management to streamline efforts in expanding the protection of Sabah’s blessed marine environment.
A mapping exercise during the conference has revealed that 17 coastal community groups in Sabah are protecting more than 12k hectares of marine and coastal areas, spanning from Mantanani Island, Kudat, Pitas, Sandakan, Kinabatangan to Semporna. While the figure is impressive, multiple stakeholders are strategising to appropriately recognise these areas as Other Effective Area-Based Conservation Measures (OECMs) to support marine conservation in Sabah, harnessing the power of local solutions in the face of global climate change.
Co-hosted by the Sabah Forestry Department and co-convened with WWF-Malaysia, Forever Sabah, PACOS Trust and Reef Check Malaysia, this conference received participation from Sabah Biodiversity Centre, Sabah Parks, the Ministry of Natural Resources, Environment and Climate Change, and the Department of Fisheries Malaysia, fortified by indigenous communities’ distinctive knowledge and profound connection to coastal ecosystems.
During the conference, Dr Joseph Tangah from the Sabah Forestry Department expressed the utmost importance in collaborative management of protected areas including identifying and recognizing OECMs, in line with the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework to protect 30% of the earth by 2030 (30×30 goal).
“The department acknowledges the significant contribution of coastal communities in protecting 30% of Malaysian seas and coasts by 2030, aligning with the global conservation target set during the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity (COP15)”.
Moreover, conversations between members from various small-scale and artisanal fishing communities and other groups have led to outcomes, including an expressed desire by the community to address the depletion of fisheries resources, degradation of marine environments, and coastal area management through community protocols, among others. These discussions continue to strengthen community-led approaches in long-term conservation work.
Community members also described how local government bodies can further support ongoing work to enrich coastal livelihoods, alongside streamlining customary laws within a policy framework.
Hailing from pristine beaches in Kampung Melanta Silawa, Bait Island, community representative Ishak Kimrah said: “We now believe our roles actively contribute to the 30×30 goal. We are excited to collaborate further with relevant agencies towards a global recognition of our community-managed areas”.
In order to ensure a holistic conservation approach, the representation of Indigenous Peoples and Local Community (IPLCs) was at the heart of the conference.
Nasiri Sabiah from the Land and Resource Management Programme of PACOS Trust, emphasised the impact of building networks and consolidating efforts between multiple stakeholders towards achieving the 30×30 goal.
WWF-Malaysia is hopeful with this collaborative approach. “We are keen to work with stakeholders to expand marine environmental protection, especially in the form of OECMs, which is globally recognised by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). This effort also affirms our organisational goals in conserving 30% of Malaysian seas and coasts by 2030,” said Choo Poh Leem, Marine Habitat Manager, Marine Programme, WWF-Malaysia.
Forever Sabah, which helped organise the conference, expressed their gratitude towards the members of the coastal communities.
“We are thankful to the steadfast engagements from indigenous community members in Kinabatangan, Pitas, Semporna, Kudat and more. Their inspiring initiatives are the true embodiment of OECM,” said Neville Yapp, the Lower Kinabatangan-Segama Wetlands Programme Coordinator at Forever Sabah.
Speaking at this conference, the programme manager from Reef Check Malaysia, Adzmin Fatta added: “OECM is an all-inclusive platform that engages everyone, specifically youth and women. We are excited for the opportunity to drive OECMs and work with IPLCs for more meaningful impacts”.
All conference participants are optimistic for future initiatives to be championed by coastal communities and are determined to join forces in streamlining local solutions with state and national policy aspirations, while aligning with regional and international norms and standards.