Tracc (Tropical
research and conservation centre) on Pom Pom Island Semporna, have just rescued 6 humphead wrasse
( also called mauri wrasse, Cheilinus undulatus) from a certain death
as the main course for dinner in a live fish restaurant. The
volunteers and staff agreed not to drink any beer for a week but to
put the same amount of money into a kitty to purchase the folorn
looking baby humphead wrasse. TRACC as an organisation agreed to
match the volunteers beer fund and together we were able to find
enough money to buy all 6 of these endangered fish.
 |
Growout cages full of Humphead wrasse in 2002, in 2013 there were 6 fish in this cage |
in 2013 there were 6 fish in this cage
The IUCN endangered
species list (the Red list) (Endangered A2bd+3bd ver
3.1) lists humphead wrasse as endangered but TRACC surveys around
Semporna and the whole Sabah coast found very, very, very few.
Apparently a normal population is around 10 individuals per hectare
but in our 370+ hours of surveys on Pom Pom Island and other nearby
islands in the Semporna district we found a population of less than 1
individual per sq km. That is a reduction of more than 1000 times -
definitely severely endangered. A normal reef should have 10
individuals in a hectare (about the size of a football pitch) but
during multiple dives on many different islands and reefs we saw an
average of 1 small HHW in each 100 hectares. The information we have
for Semporna district is scary but it is not unique, ask any diver
and the numbers of humphead wrasse on any reef that is not 100%
protected and the answer is always zero. In our area at least, the
fish are severely endangered if not regionally extinct and definitely
need protection.
The Juvenile HHW fish
were transported to Pom Pom Island in a large dustbin filled with
seawater and released onto the reef crest at around sunset. The next
few days were a bit harrowing as the divers searched and reported
none seen.
 |
| Small female Humphead wrasse |
Apparently the fish
becomes mature at about 6 years, so our juveniles have a long way to
go and we hope to see them many times over the next few years.
As the voice of the
rescued fish I would like to thank TRACC and my fellow volunteers for
contributing the cash to rescue these 6 fish.
TRACC also rescued coral cat sharks this year :-)
TRACC also rescued coral cat sharks this year :-)
Aug 2013