Malaysia - Coral Reef Conservation

Over the past 30 years, the world has lost roughly half of its coral reefs due to environmental and human influences. These reefs are some of the most diverse and valuable ecosystems on the planet, providing homes from countless species of marine life and generating billions of dollars per year for the fishing and tourism industries — but their existence is in jeopardy. I joined the Tropical Research and Conservation Center (TRACC) off the coast of Semporna, Malaysia in aiding in the protection of coral reefs on Pom Pom Island. The reefs on this island have been badly damaged due to "fish bombing" which is the process of throwing dynamite in the water in order to get a quick catch but taking out all of the coral in the process. We spent two weeks on the island filming while sleeping in a small tent village with little access to electricity or cell service.