KOTA KINABALU: With Sabah’s coral reefs increasingly affected due to mass tourism, a pioneering eco-training programme is equipping local snorkelling guides with the skills and knowledge to become the first line of defence for the state’s marine ecosystems.

It also equips participants with marine conservation knowledge, responsible tourism practices and essential lifesaving skills, including CPR and first aid.

The initiative comes amid ongoing concerns in Semporna over unsustainable tourism behaviours such as anchoring on coral reefs, feeding marine wildlife, harassing sea creatures and polluting the ocean – all of which threaten coral reef health and marine biodiversity.

The programme is organised by non-governmental organisations – Reef Check Malaysia with support from Green Fins and MetLife Foundation – as well as the state Tourism, Culture and Environ­ment Ministry.

Reef Check Malaysia said it hopes to expand the initiative across Sabah, especially in high-tourism areas like Sem­porna.

The move, it said, is to promote long-term sustainability where local communities act as both stewards and beneficiaries of healthy coral ecosystems.