Luconia shoals to be biggest marine park in Malaysia

SEMATAN, Sept 13 (Bernama) -- Luconia Shoals which is located in South China Sea and lies over Sunda Continental Shelf in Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) within the Sarawak water territorial waters, will become the biggest marine park in Malaysia once the area is fully gazetted as a national park.

Chief Minister of Sarawak, Datuk Amar Abang Johari Tun Openg said the state government was serious in conserving and protecting marine life and their habitat.

“Once fully gazetted as national park, Luconia Shoals will be the biggest marine protected area in Malaysia, while entrenching Sarawak as the rightful owner on the marine resources in the area.

“At the same time, it will boost eco tourism sector in Sematan,” he told a press conference after the Solar Energy System Handover ceremony here today.

Abang Johari said the South Luconia Shoals located 163 to 180 kilometres from Sarawak shorelines and comprises number of reefs such as Luconia Breakers, Richmond Reef, Comus Reef, Stigant Reef, Sieera Blanca and Herald Reef, some of these features were exposed during low tide.

“Whereas the North Luconia Shoals located between 187 to 254 km from Sarawak shorelines comprises number of features such as Friendship Shoal, Seahorese Breakers, Moody Reef,Heyes Reefs, Hardie Reef, Aitken Reef, Buck Reef and Tripp Reef.

“In essence, the shoals extended to the northern part to form an extensive oil and gas resources under the sea bed. Currently, one can see a number of Petronas’s oil and gas platform located less than 25km from the boundary of the proposed Luconia Shoals National Park,” he said.

-- BERNAMA