KOTA KINABALU: Coastal communities should play a direct role in managing marine protected areas, with Sabah Parks promoting a model that allows villagers to help protect marine resources while benefiting from sustainable tourism.
Its director Datuk Dr Maklarin Lakim said the approach was already being implemented at Tun Mustapha Park in Kudat, where designated zones allow communities to participate in marine resource management.
He said communities could help manage marine areas near their villages, drawing on traditional practices such as the tagal system, which protects rivers and freshwater fish populations.
"When a community is given the right to manage a marine zone around its village, the approach can be effective," he said at the 2026 National Marine Protected Area (MPA) Managers Network Establishment and Coordination Workshop.
