The effective management of marine resources is important to maintaining a healthy ocean, but in developing countries, the management of marine resources presents many challenges. In Sabah, Malaysia, which is part of the Coral Triangle, diverse marine ecosystems are at risk from multiple threats –tourism development and visitor pressures, unsustainable fishing methods, and external threats arising from climate change.  

DHI’s teams in Malaysia and Denmark are using remote sensing to map and monitor Mangrove, Coral and Submerged Aquatic Vegetation (MCSAV) through their web-based interactive technology platform – MCSAV. The platform has earlier been applied in high-latitude regions, recently to map vegetation in shallow marine areas of the Swedish coast. Using this technology approach, DHI now aims to provide access to earth observation-based maps to developing countries in the tropics, starting with this pilot in Malaysia. This aims to address the information gap and improve the planning, management and monitoring of coastal and marine ecosystems including two marine parks in Sabah, to reduce threats to these ecosystems and restore biodiversity and reefs and promote the blue economy.