Live sharks to be the stars at Manukan Aquarium Centre

KOTA KINABALU: Sabah Parks have taken the initiative to upgrade a building at Pulau Manukan here into an aquarium centre to educate the public about marine biodiversity.

Its director, Dr Jamili Nais, said the centre was part of the government’s efforts in shark conservation.

“The main attraction at the aquarium will be live sharks, including blacktip reef sharks.

“This is in line with the government’s recent announcement that marine parks will serve as shark sanctuaries,” he said during the soft launch of the new attraction in Pulau Manukan here recently.

These sanctuaries will be set up at more than two million hectares in marine parks, including Tunku Abdul Rahman Marine Park here, Tun Mustapha Marine Park in Kudat, and Tun Sakaran Marine Park in Semporna.

The state government is in favour of a ban on shark finning as the species contributed significantly to the tourism industry.

On average, 55,000 divers come to Sabah yearly and 80 per cent of them came to see live sharks in the sea.

The year-long activity contributed more than RM300 million in tourism receipts.

Jamili said the centre would be opened to the public in September, adding that the entrance fee would be waived for a year.

The 0.01ha centre, which costs RM100,000, was mostly built by the staff of Sabah Parks.

Source: The New Strait Times