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Effective marine park management and protection of coral reefs can only happen if managers have adequate knowledge of reef health and area. However, obtaining such information is labor intensive and difficult with limited funding and time. Reef Check Malaysia was engaged by Department of Marine Parks Malaysia to map the coral reefs surrounding Tioman Island Marine Park and document health status and site specific threats. To achieve this, we utilized the Reef Check survey method, a simple, rapid and holistic standardized reef monitoring protocol based on scientific principles. This method is suitable where funds and time are limited. A total of 95 sites surrounding Tioman Island were surveyed with the assistance of certified Reef Check EcoDiver volunteers and representatives from local stakeholders. This citizen science approach proved successful and generated a baseline map revealing a difference in the health of coral reefs between the west and east sides of Tioman Island, where the West had 50% on the East. Combined with data on indicator fish and invertebrates, as well as human and natural impacts, the results suggest that Tioman Island should be separated into three distinctive conservation priority zones to enhance management strategies of this marine park. This is an example of an innovative way to engage and involve local stakeholders in planning conservation and management strategies.

The Reef Check survey methodology was designed for use by non-scientists to assess the health of coral reefs. The methodology focuses on the abundance of particular coral reef organisms that best refl ect the condition of the ecosystem and that are easily recognisable to non-scientists. Selection of these “indicator” organisms was based on their economic and ecological value, their sensitivity to human impacts and ease of identifi cation, allowing large numbers of non-scientists to participate in surveys. Indicators include a broad spectrum of fi sh, invertebrates and substrate categories that refl ect human activities such as fi shing, collection or pollution. The fi rst global survey programme in 1997 provided scientifi c confi rmation that coral reefs were facing a major crisis on a global scale. Since 2007, Reef Check Malaysia has conducted an annual Reef Check survey programme of Malaysia’s coral reefs. The paper presents an analysis of fi ve years of data (2007-2011) collected from over 100 survey sites in both Peninsular and East Malaysia. Changing populations of fi sh and variations in live coral cover highlight local impacts on coral reefs, providing valuable information for managers and scientists. Data can be used to manage local threats to coral reefs, and contributes to building coral reef resilience. (Keywords: Reef Check, coral reefs, survey, Tioman, Perhentian, Redang)

Knowledge about the timing and synchrony of coral spawning has important implications for both the ecology and management of coral reef ecosystems, however,data on spawning timing and extent of synchrony are still lacking for many coral reefs, particularly from equatorial regions and from locations within the coral triangle. Here we present the first documentation of a multi-species coral spawning event from reefs around Pulau Tioman, Peninsular Malaysia, a popular diving and tourist destination located on the edge of the coral triangle. At least 8 coral species from 3 genera and 2 families participated in multi-species spawning over five nights in April 2014, between two nights before and two nights after the full moon. Two Acropora species (A. digitifera and A. tenuis) also spawned one night prior to the full moon in October 2014. While two species of Acropora (A. millepora and A. nasuta) exhibited highly synchronous spawning in April (100% of sampled colonies), two other common species (A. hyacinthus and A. digitifera) did not contain visible eggs in the majority of colonies sampled (i.e.