All of the big fish species are disappearing from the reefs in Sabah. A 99% fall in numbers compared to similar but unfished reefs is very serious overfishing. These fish stock will not recover unless serious action is taken.
POPULATION DECLINES IN LARGE FISH STOCKS ON FISHED REEFS IN SABAH
| FISH SPECIES | COMMON NAME | % DECLINE IN POPULATION | |
| Cephalopholis argus | Peacock grouper | 97.09% | |
| Cephalopholis miniata | Coral grouper | 99.50% | |
| Epinephelus polyphekadio | Camouflage grouper | 99.25% | |
| Plectropomus leopardus | Leopard grouper | } | |
| Plectropomus laevis | Saddleback grouper | } | 97.26% |
| Plectropomus areolatus | Squaretail coral trout | } | |
| Lethrinus olivaceus | Longnose emperor | 100.00% | |
| Macolor niger | Black snapper | } | 97.54% |
| Macolor macularis | Midnight snapper | } | |
| All Plectrorhincus species | Sweetlips | 92.39% | |
| Monotaxis grandoculis | Big eye emperor | 95.63% | |
| Lutjanus bohar | Red bass | 98.09% | |
| Cheilinus undulatus | Humphead wrasse | 99.91% | |
| Pseudobalistes flavimarginatus | Yellowmargin / Pink face triggerfish | 100.00% | |
| Balistoides viridescens | Titan triggerfish | 99.69% |
With this level of overfishing for the largest fish species it is not surprising that fisheries in Sabah have fallen by 74% over the last 20 years. Click here to see areas surveyed.
Click on the fish to view its distribution
Survey sites – Ecotourism - Fisheries issues – Fisheries issues E Malaysia – Pelagic fisheries – Non reef fisheries
- Blast fishing – Frequency – Regulations – Economics – Effects of bombs on diversity – effects of bombs on reef structure
Cyanide fishing – Cyanide fishing Map -Regional threats – Market forces - Social impacts of cyanide – Environmental costs of Cyanide -
Reef fish population decline – Coral trout & Leopard Groupers – Large grouper size change with fishing - Sweetlips – Snappers – small groupers – Sex change & threatened species -
Humphead wrasse & Live fish trade -location map– Regionally extinct – HHW populations – Spawning & Feeding – ID of individuals