A new initiative aimed at enhancing coral reef monitoring in Southeast Asia launched in Malaysia in August, gathering nearly 30 participants from government, academia, and non-governmental organizations across Malaysia, Indonesia, Vietnam, Brunei Darussalam, and the Philippines.
The Regional Coral Reef Monitoring and Management Project, which will span the next four years, seeks to bolster regional collaboration and improve technical capabilities for monitoring coral reefs. Participants are expected to utilize advanced science and technology, including the digital platform ReefCloud, to better inform reef management strategies.
Developed by the Australian Institute of Marine Science (AIMS), ReefCloud is an open-access, AI-powered platform designed for the global monitoring, analysis, and sharing of coral reef data.
Dr. Manu Gonzalez Rivero, a research scientist at AIMS and the lead for ReefCloud, emphasized the importance of coral reefs to the region’s economic and cultural vitality. He stated, “Assessing the condition of coral reefs through standardized, robust reef monitoring provides reef managers with the best available evidence to understand changes in reef condition that support effective management.” He also noted the organization’s ongoing collaboration with national teams to enhance monitoring efforts.
Associate Professor Tan Chun Hong from Universiti Malaysia Terengganu raised concerns regarding the challenges faced in reef monitoring within Malaysia, which are similarly faced by neighboring countries. He indicated that obstacles include limited access to remote areas, shortages of technical expertise, and delays in data analysis, all of which complicate the delivery of timely information to decision-makers.
According to Associate Professor Tan, while there is a wealth of monitoring data already collected, the key struggle is to make this data compatible and more accessible across various institutions and nations. “The challenge is not only to collect more data but also to make existing and future datasets more compatible, accessible, and useful across institutions and countries,” he explained.
Furthermore, he noted that while technology presents opportunities for collaboration, it must be accompanied by appropriate policies and frameworks that facilitate responsible data sharing while respecting data ownership and national priorities. “Collaboration at this level is a great step towards overcoming these barriers,” he added.
The project is part of the Southeast Asia Maritime Partnerships Program, which is supported by the Australian Government. The launch event in Malaysia included participants from all five countries and representatives from various regional organizations, such as the UNEP Coordinating Body of the Seas of East Asia (COBSEA) and the Coral Triangle Initiative on Coral Reefs, Fisheries and Food Security (CTI-CFF). The workshop that accompanied the launch focused on developing a co-designed work plan for the project, identifying priorities, and aligning with existing initiatives. Activities and intended outcomes are set to unfold over the upcoming four years.
