The Fisheries Department levies a conservation charge on visitors to the marine park centre. RM5.00 for adults; and RM2.50 for children 12years and below, students and pensioners.
The Fisheries Department extends its area of protection 2 nautical miles from the low water mark of the group of islands under the Pulau Redang Marine Park jurisdiction. (Except for Pulau Kapas of only one nautical mile.) This Conservation charge contributes to the management, conservation, protection, monitoring, education and research programmes within the Marine Park.
Rules are made to be broken
Sure they are….. until one falls into trouble with parents or the headmaster or the police and the law. Beautiful places come at a cost, well most times anyway in Malaysia…and the islands are no exception. There are plenty of rules of DO NOTs and What Nots but if it makes a place worthwhile for a second visit…what’s keeping to a few rules going to cost us?!
Marine Parks are created with the aim to preserve the fast dwindling reef and island eco-systems. Therefore there are rules which every visitor to the islands must adhere to:
DO NOT COLLECT, remove, destroy or kill any marine resources such as shellfish, molluscs, corals and fishes! People have a habit of keeping pretty shells as souvenirs from islands… but seriously most times when you get home, these pretty things are thrown into the back of the bottom drawer or stuffed into the flowerpot sitting on the kitchen table or given to the little girl next door who would just as soon lose it. So why don’t just leave it where it is and let the next generation appreciate nature as you have… in its natural habitat. Makes sense. Doesn’t it?
No fishing is allowed within 3.2km radius of the island except for the island fishermen whose livelihood depends on. Anyone else caught illegally fishing within the confines will be fined a sum of RM5,000.
DO NOT STEP ON CORALS. Snorkelling is great fun! But how many times have you. (Yes you!) stepped on a big boulder to readjust or defog your mask? That boulder may just happen to be a large coral. OR whilst you lift your head up to talk to your snorkelling buddy and your feet automatically drop to the floor to stabilise, kicking a few staghorn corals off its hold is no big deal right? OR when you’re on a rocky outcrop and you need to rest on the little ledge you've found, not noticing that you’re standing on a sea anemone until the tiny clownfish or seaanemonefish starts aggressively nibbling at your ankles. If it has to, Clownfish attack predators or aggressors as large as us, to protect his home from being damaged. Many snorkellers and even divers have been guilty on all counts and I, too were guilty of such offences until education has taught me to respect the laws of the ocean. Respect her and she respects you in return.
DO NOT LITTER! Malaysians have a habit of littering. Perhaps it’s because there are usually no appropriate litterbins to be found and even if there are, they’re often filled to the brim already. Throwing plastic bags into the sea is detrimental to marine animals such as the turtles, which feed on jellyfish. Discarded plastic bags floating on the surface of the water look like food to these poor sighted creatures and once ingested, the bags get trapped in their intestines, killing them slowly. I’ve seen broken filament bulbs and leaky batteries strewn on beaches where little children were seen building sandcastles and frolicking in the wavebreakers - be responsible. If you see fishermen throwing such items out into the sea..advise them not to. The discarded items get washed ashore and can pose much danger to those who play on the beach. And besides, it’s really such an eyesore.
DO NOT ANCHOR boats directly onto the coral reefs. The weight and drag of the anchor causes considerable damage to the corals below. It’s not what you don’t see won’t hurt you. It’s what you don’t see won’t hurt you now, but….
For further information on park regulations, please can contact:
Terengganu Fisheries Office
Wisma Perikanan Negeri
Taman Perikanan
21080 Chendering, Kuala Terengganu
Terengganu.
Tel: +609-617 3353
Fax: +609-617 3351
