Mangroves-fisheries linkages - The Malaysian perspective

Mangroves contribute substantially to coastal fisheries in terms of providing trophic and refuge support, and larval retention. Malaysia's existing 566,856 ha of mangrove forests are believed to sustain more than 50% of its annual offshore fishery landings of 1.28 million t. Here I review research that relates to the contribution of Malaysian mangroves as nursery areas, and to coastal food chains and fisheries. I examine salient features of mangrove productivity, food resources, refugia, and fish nursery-ground value of selected mangrove areas. The net fisheries contribution from I ha of mangrove forest amounted to US$846 yr(-1). Various anthropogenic activities such as unsustainable forestry practices, aquaculture, coastal development, and pollution influence the carrying capacity of mangroves. The nursery function of Malaysian mangroves is variable depending on several factors, including hydrogeomorphology and the extent of human disturbance, both of which affect carrying capacity.