Merambong Shoal, Johor

Seagrass beds thrives at depths of 2-3 m on calcareous sandy-mud sub-tidal shoals of Tanjung Adang Laut and Merambong, supporting eight species of seagrasses. There are Enhalus acoroides, Halophila ovalis, H. minor, H. spinulosa, Thalassia hemprichii, Cymodocea serrulata, Halodule pinifolia, H. uninervis and Syringodium isoetifolium. Since 2002 the extensive seagrass beds of Merambong and Tanjung Adang, in particular, have deteriorated to a greater extent due to coastal development. This resulted in the significant loss of seagrass species Halophila minor, Cymodocea rotundata and Syringodium isoetifolium. 

Despite the stress seagrass ecosystems faces, which include anthropogenic activities leading to their decline and disappearance, the local coastal inhabitants continue to use these areas for their sustenance. The losses reported here have been made through observations during repeated visits to the various seagrass sites. The Sungai Pulai seagrass beds Merambong (30 ha in 1996, now 26.3 ha), ) and Tanjung Adang Darat (42 ha in 1996) are now completely destroyed and showing little recovery (Japar Sidik et al. 2007). 

They were facing risk from the shipping port development involving dredging of shallow passageways and land reclamation for new facilities, both causing an increase in the suspended solids in the water column.

Land reclamation of mixed development Forest City Project off  Gelang Patah , Johor has buried the seagrass meadow of merambong shoal.

The expanded land use of different economic activities has caused significant pollution. The main pollution sources are (1) domestic waste, (2) agro-based waste from rubber factory, (3) industrial waste from factories and industrial estates, and (4) animal waste from stock farms (Malaysian Coastal Resources Study Team 1992).

Given the importance of seagrasses as a habitat for fisheries as well as a nursery and feeding ground, this resource must be accorded the same priority and managed as well as mangroves and corals, to provide for future renewable resource utilization, education and training, science and research, conservation and protection. 

A priority of initiatives including seagrass research should focus on how best to manage open-access, multi-user seagrass systems mentioned above to ensure their sustainable use in the aim to conserve and protect its rich biodiversity.