Merambong Shoal,Johor in Danger

Merambong Shoal is inhibited island located in Gelang Patah,Johore. This island is dominated with mangrove swamp. The most valuable treasure that contain in this island are the seagrass bed. The seagrass bed in Merambong shoal is the largest seagrass bed in Malaysia. This seagrass bed support 8 species of seagrass, which is:

• Syringodium isoetifolium.
• Halodule pinifolia,
•  H. uninervis
• Cymodocea serrulata
• Thalassia hemprichii
• Halophila ovalis, 
• H. minor, 
• H. spinulosa

Besides the species of seagrass that inhibit this shoal, there are also seahorses and dugongs which made this shoal as their home, breeding area and grazing field. As we known, dugong's main diet is seagrass which is from Halophila sp. Besides dugongs and seahorses, this shoal are also the main nursery area for many high value commercial fish, shrimp and crab species.

Threats of Merambong Shoal:

Despite the richness of biodiversity inhibits Merambong Shoal, now this seagrass bed area is in danger. According to Tan Cheng Li from www.thestar.com.my,

 "Land reclamation for the 2,000ha mixed development Forest City project off Gelang Patah, Johor, has buried portions of the seagrass meadows of Merambong Shoal, which is home to threatened animals such as dugongs, turtles and seahorses. 

Construction work has stopped for now as no detailed environmental impact assessment was conducted."

Land reclamation happened in Merambong shoal.

The biggest threat in Merambong shoal is land reclamation for Forest City project. This project give negative impact to seagrass inhibits this shoal. This project resulted in the significant loss of seagrass species Halophila minor, Cymodocea rotundata and Syringodium isoetifolium. 

Below is the video from Rentakini channel on youtube  that show the threat that faced by Merambong shoal due to development project.

We must do something before our valuable treasure of Malaysia gone forever. Proactive action must be done to protect this seagrass bed. If we lose this seagrass bed due to development, not only we lose one shoal, BUT we will also lose other commercial species that valuable in economical aspect. In biological aspect, it may result in ecological imbalance,thus we may lose the richest marine biodiversity in Malaysia. This development project must be STOP!!