Sarawak Coastal Biodiversity: A Current Status

Sarawak lies within the Indo-Malay-Philippine archipelago, which is part of the Indo-West Pacific region. The Sarawak coastline is about 1035 kilometers long, with its coastal marine habitats consisting of sandy beaches, mudflats and rocky shores. Sarawak is one of the megadiversity regions in the world. The main objectives of this review are to report on the recorded species diversity of flora and fauna in the Sarawak coastal waters and to identify the threats to management of the coastal biodiversity. Mangrove forest is dominant along the coastal region of Sarawak. The mangrove forests occupy approximately 60% of the total coastline. Sarawak reefs can be divided into those of northeast and southwest Sarawak regions. The northeast region reefs support rich assemblages of marine life while the southwest region reefs are sparse and undeveloped, lying in heavily silted waters. The most comprehensive species diversity studies are available for phytoplankton, seaweeds, seagrasses, nematodes, marine fish, reptiles and marine mammal communities. Detailed study on other organisms along Sarawak coastal waters is still lacking, especially for meio-and macroinvertebrates. Major threats to Sarawak coastal biodiversity are the clearing of the coastal mangrove forest for developmental purposes, the overexploitation of marine resources, anthropogenic pollution, habitat destruction and habitat loss. The effort to manage Sarawak’s biodiversity is reflected in the formation of several acts and policies by the Malaysian government. The formation of universities and research centers to educate people on the importance of biodiversity conservation is the proper strategy for tackling the issues of sustainable management of marine coastal resources in Sarawak.