First time on Sentosa Serapong west!

One of the best reefs nearer the mainland is found on the undisturbed shore off Serapong Golf Course at Sentosa. We surveyed a new stretch of this shore for the first time, thanks to Leanne and Desmond of SDC. These shores were impacted but clearly survived the 400tonne Pasir Panjang oil spill on 14 Jun 2024 and the 23 tonne diesel leak opposite Sentosa Serapong on 5 Feb 2025. 

Right next to the Sentosa bridge, there are lots of corals, large Long spined sea urchins, fishes, nudibranchs and other amazing marine life. As usual, the rest of the team make all the special finds. I will update once they share their photos.

Return to Pulau Semakau (South) mangroves

A full team surveys here at predawn for the first time! The original mangroves, seagrass meadows, and reefs of Pulau Semakau lie next to the Semakau Landfill. They are very much alive.

We land next to the Landfill wall, on living seagrass meadow at first light of a glorious sunrise! I will update later with finds by the rest of the team. The ongoing Sudong reclamation looms in the distance.

Diving at the Sisters Islands Marine Park to reopen later in 2026

Some dive operatorsare preparing to expand their operations ahead of the reopening of Sisters’ Islands Marine Park for diving later this year.

From the NParks booklet on the dive trail.

Diving was suspended since 2021 to facilitate enhancement works. NParks will lift these restrictions later this year, allowing divers to return under approved operators.

SFA tech to predict harmful algal blooms that can impact fish farms

A network of eight sensors in Singapore’s waters will send data to the Singapore Food Agency (SFA) to detect abnormal readings and assess risks.

Fish farm off Pulau Ubin.

With a new prediction model being developed, SFA aims to forecast harmful algal blooms at least two days in advance. The upgrade is expected to be completed in the near future.

Feedback on land reclamation at Keppel-Tanjong Pagar

The marine community's feedback in the Straits Time include: Dr Jani Tanzil, facility director of the St John’s Island National Marine Laboratory, said reclamation poses a risk to nearby habitats such as the reefs around Sentosa. She noted that the Sisters’ Islands Marine Park and Kusu and Lazarus islands are located just 4km to 5km from the reclamation. “This is not a great distance (and) there is a good chance that finer sediments and other pollutants could be transported to and negatively impact these important key conservation areas,” added Dr Tanzil.

Dr Tanzil noted that the report did not consider how sediments in the water will block sunlight for corals, as a small reduction in light can greatly impact their survival and growth. “It is important to remember that in addition to the amount of sediments in the water, the more direct impact here is light reduction,” she said.

Ms Rachael Goh, co-lead of land use planning at environmental group LepakInSG, cautioned that the survival and success rate for transplantation may not be high, depending on various factors. “What is more important is allowing corals to come back after the reclamation is over. The sea wall or sloped rock revetment could make suitable new habitats for corals to return,” she added.

Ms Goh is hoping that the eventual environmental management and monitoring programme for this project will be made public.

Mr Isaac Ong, a member of the Singapore Youth Voices for Biodiversity, urged the authorities to consider the cumulative effects of future developments on the south-eastern coast, including the construction of Long Island and the coastal barriers near Sentosa. Mr Ong said: “Singapore’s reefs have also experienced stress from sedimentation from decades of past coastal development, which already limited the depth ranges at which corals can grow. This is an added pressure.” The proposed coastal barriers have the potential to alter tidal flows and the movement of coral larvae. Reduced channel speeds at times could also increase the risk of harmful algal blooms and degrade water quality over time, he added.

Submit your feedback to HDB here https://form.gov.sg/6966fc4e7c5fe159af98b799

Links to full EIA and extracts in this blog post.

Second B. hainesii at Pasir Ris!

A small team survey the small but lush natural mangroves next to the Sungei Loyang canal. 

This home to a large Bakau mata buaya that we have been visiting for nearly 20 years. Today, we saw a second smaller tree!