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WWF Coral Triangle
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Media Release
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For Immediate Release
More investment key to protecting Coral Triangle
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia – Innovative incentives and increased investment from the private sector
are crucial for the long-term health of the Coral Triangle region and the millions of people that
depend on the marine environment for their livelihoods, says WWF.
The remarks came during the Coral Triangle Initiative Regional Business Forum 2011 in Kuala
Lumpur, which closed on 11 October after 2 days of deliberations over how the private and public
sectors can work together to protect the world’s most diverse marine ecosystem.
“We are already seeing some encouraging sustainable and responsible initiatives take hold in Coral
Triangle region, particularly in the form of public-private partnerships,” says Dr. Lida Pet-Soede
Leader of the Coral Triangle Initiative.
Among the several public-private partnerships recognized at the forum is a multi-stakeholder
collaboration between Coop/Bell Seafood of Switzerland, Seafresh of The Netherlands, the
Government of Germany, the Philippine Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR), and
WWF-Philippines on a project to improve the management of tuna handline fisheries.
“While many business-backed initiatives are showing that there is a way forward, a lot more effort
needs to go into assessing food security for the whole Coral Triangle. Action on this front would
allow more room for investment and the creation of enabling government policies to address longterm aspects of food security throughout the region. Furthermore, it could inform development and
innovation in technology to improve food security where it matters most,” added Dr. Pet-Soede.
A total of six nations make up the Coral Triangle – Indonesia, Malaysia, Papua New Guinea,
Philippines, Solomon Islands and Timor-Leste.
Global Biodiversity Hub
A 10-year marine conservation initiative for the Coral Triangle was also announced at the forum, a
move that is expected to infuse RM1.5 billion into the regional economy and create 2,900 new jobs
up to the year 2020.
The Malaysian National News agency Bernama reported that Sabah Chief Minister, Datuk Seri
Musa Aman made the announcement in the Malaysian capital on the first day of the forum.
The new plan would see the creation of a Global Biodiversity Hub (GBH) in Sabah, Malaysia, which
will help coordinate the sustainable development of marine resources within the Coral Triangle by
working with the region’s broad community of fishermen and seeking to improve the livelihoods of
farmers.
Over 70 per cent of the funding for the estimated $RM896 million GBH will come from the private
sector.
“[The Coral Triangle] is…home to over 3,000 species of reef fish and refuge for six of the world’s
seven species of marine turtles,” said Minister Datuk Seri Musa Aman.
“We must be mindful of the negative repercussions, including loss of income and reliable food
supply, for the over 120 million people who depend on resources within the [Coral Triangle,” he
added.
The Chief Minister also added that estimates of the total monetary value of Sabah’s natural marine
habitats amounted to at around US$2.3 billion yearly in terms of fisheries, tourism and other related
activities.
Sabah is the only Malaysian state in located within the Coral Triangle. It is also part of the SuluSulawesi Marine Eco-region.
ENDS
----------------Editors note:
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The Coral Triangle includes Indonesia, Malaysia, Papua New Guinea, the Philippines, the
Solomon Islands, and Timor-Leste. With 5.7 million square kilometers of critical ocean and
terrestrial ecosystems, the Coral Triangle supports the world’s highest concentration of marine
biodiversity. It provides livelihoods for 240 million people and food security for millions more.
The area is threatened by over-fishing and destructive fishing practices, land and sea-based
pollution, and significant climate change impacts.

The Coral Triangle is home to 76% of the world’s known coral species, 37% of the world’s coral reef fish
species, and commercially-valuable species such as tuna, whales, dolphins, rays, sharks, including 6 of
the world’s 7 known species of marine turtles.
The Coral Triangle directly sustains the lives of more than 120 million people and contains key spawning
and nursery grounds for tuna. Its reef and coastal systems also underpin a growing tourism sector.
WWF is working with governments, local communities, businesses, and consumers to promote
sustainable development in this region. For information on Coral Triangle go to:
www.panda.org/coraltriangle
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For further information:
Paolo P. Mangahas, Communications Manager, WWF Coral Triangle Programme, Tel: +603 7803 3772,
Email: [email protected]