Reef Check report warns coral loss threatens fisheries, tourism, and coastal livelihoods
Malaysia’s coral reefs are disappearing at an alarming pace, raising urgent questions about marine protection, tourism practices, and long-term food security across the region.
Alarming Decline In Coral Cover
Malaysia has lost the equivalent of 47,250 football fields’ worth of coral cover over the past three years, according to Reef Check Malaysia’s 2025 Annual Survey Report. The nationwide study assessed 297 reef sites using the globally standardized Reef Check methodology, offering one of the most comprehensive snapshots of reef health in the country.
Average live coral cover fell sharply from 44.65 percent in 2024 to 39.94 percent in 2025, representing a five-percentage-point drop in just one year. Reef Check Malaysia chief executive officer Julian Hyde described the decline as severe, noting it equates to roughly 10 percent of coral cover lost in a single year.
A Three-Year Trend Of Loss
The longer-term trend is equally troubling. In 2022, Malaysia’s average live coral cover stood at around 50 percent. By 2025, that figure had fallen by approximately 10 percentage points, meaning nearly one-fifth of national coral cover has disappeared within three years.
Hyde emphasized that the pace of degradation reflects not only climate-driven impacts but also growing pressure from human activities. The findings highlight how quickly reef systems can deteriorate when multiple stressors overlap.
Bleaching, Pollution, And Human Damage
Reef Check Malaysia attributed the decline to a combination of factors, including the fourth Global Coral Bleaching Event in 2024, unsustainable tourism practices, coastal development, pollution, and destructive fishing methods. Coral bleaching was recorded at 67.5 percent of surveyed locations, signaling widespread thermal stress.
Physical damage was also prevalent. The surveys found 82.5 percent of reef sites affected by trash, 80 percent by discarded fishing gear, and 57.5 percent by boat or anchor damage. These disturbances were observed even within marine protected areas, where recovery would normally be expected.
Destructive Fishing Still A Major Threat
In Sabah, the situation appeared particularly severe. One-third of surveyed sites, or 33.33 percent, showed damage linked to dynamite fishing, an illegal practice that causes irreversible harm to reef structures and surrounding marine life.
The report also noted that populations of key indicator fish and invertebrates remain low nationwide. This suggests that reef degradation is undermining the broader marine ecosystem, not just coral cover alone.
Livelihoods And Food Security At Risk
The consequences extend well beyond environmental loss. Hyde stressed that coral reefs, along with mangroves and seagrass meadows, function as critical nursery systems for fish stocks. An estimated 140,000 small-scale fishers operate in Malaysia, with tens of thousands of households relying on coastal fisheries for food and income.
Tourism is also deeply tied to reef health. According to Hyde, tourism contributes roughly 15 percent of Malaysia’s GDP and 25 percent of total employment, making coral reefs an economic asset as much as an ecological one.
Calls For Community-Led Protection
In response to the findings, Reef Check Malaysia urged stronger reef protection focused on reducing local stressors and empowering coastal communities. The organization called for a joint management approach that formally integrates local communities into managing marine protected areas.
Hyde emphasized that lowering local impacts can give reefs a better chance to withstand global pressures such as climate change. He also advocated for diversified livelihoods and a shift away from mass tourism toward more sustainable models, stating clearly that the organization supports tourism that protects, rather than exploits, marine ecosystems.
Malaysia’s rapid coral loss serves as a warning for the wider region, including Indonesia and Singapore, where marine ecosystems underpin fisheries, tourism, and coastal resilience. Without stronger protection and a shift toward sustainable practices, the degradation of shared seas could carry long-term economic and environmental costs across Southeast Asia.
Sources: Malay Mail (2026) , The Star (2026)
Keywords: Malaysia Coral Reefs, Reef Check Malaysia, Coral Bleaching, Marine Ecosystems, Sustainable Tourism
