wild shores of singapore

Lianhe Zaobao features Marina Bay mangroves

noreply@blogger.com (Ria Tan) — Mon, 01 Jun 2026 22:01:29 +0000

In response to Lianhe Zaobao, Dr. Karen, Senior Director of the National Biodiversity Centre of the National Parks Board, said that the authorities are aware of this mangrove forest and conducted an on-site inspection in March this year. The authorities will study the mangrove forest in conjunction with relevant agencies when assessing development plans for the area.

Muhd Nasry, Executive Director of the Singapore Youth Voices for Biodiversity, said, “While this mangrove forest is smaller compared to the vast mangroves of the Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve, it’s truly amazing to see it." Nasri said that with the upcoming development of coastal protection facilities, it is crucial to arrange for engineers to conduct on-site inspections. "How to strike a balance between construction projects and maintaining biodiversity, and even fulfilling the function of seawall protection, are all issues that need to be discussed."

Google translate of the original article
滨海东填海地自然长出红树林为长岛生态规划提供参考
by Huang Yinchuan Lianhe Zaobao June 1, 2026, 18:00

AI summary

Mangroves have naturally grown on the reclaimed land in Binhai East, providing a reference for the ecological planning of Changdao Island.
Mangroves have naturally grown on the reclaimed land east of the coast, including the critically endangered *Avicennia marina* and the rare *Avicennia galbana*.
These mangroves have formed a complete ecosystem without human intervention, providing habitat for mud lobsters, hermit crabs, and other organisms.
Environmentalists believe this phenomenon provides an ecological reference for the Long Island Project, demonstrating that artificial coastlines can become natural regeneration hotbeds.
The mud lobster mounds confirm the mangroves' maturity, and experts are calling for engineering plans to consider both biodiversity and shoreline protection functions.
The National Parks Board has inspected the area and will collaborate on assessing the feasibility of mangrove conservation in its development planning.

Mangroves, including critically endangered species, have naturally grown on the reclaimed land of Marina East, a surprising development. Environmentalists believe this offers valuable insights for the Long Island Reclamation Project on the east coast, demonstrating that with the right conditions, a vibrant mangrove forest can be created.

Ria Tan, 65, founder of the conservation website WildSingapore, told Lianhe Zaobao that the area was a sandy, vegetation-free beach after reclamation, but now it's different. Tan said, "After reclamation, no one planted anything, no one fertilized it, no one deliberately landscaped it, yet the mangroves grew on their own and developed into an ecosystem."

For the past 20 years, Chen Liya has frequently patrolled the local coastline during low tide. She speculates that the heat- and drought-resistant casuarina trees were the first to grow on this sandy land. However, as seawater continued to seep in, the casuarina trees, which could not withstand the salinity of the seawater, gradually withered away, while mangrove plants, which could adapt to the brackish water environment, took root and expanded, forming the scene of casuarina trees surrounding mangroves that we see today.

Chen Liya said that last December, a friend who also cares about nature discovered this newly formed mangrove forest on Binhai East, which delighted other environmentalists, who flocked to explore it.

Although the mangrove forest is not large, its ecosystem is complete, and it is home to animals such as mud lobsters, hermit crabs, and other crabs.

Chen Liya said that this newly formed ecosystem, created naturally without human intervention, is precious, conveying an important message: "Given the right conditions, artificial coastlines can become a breeding ground for mangroves to re-establish themselves; nature will find its own way to return."

"This provides a reference for Singapore's future Long Island plan. If space for biological growth is consciously reserved during the planning stage, we may see mangroves, coral reefs, and seagrass coexisting on the coastline in the future."

The artificial island "Long Island" will be built on reclaimed land off the coast of East Coast Park. According to the plan, Long Island will consist of three reclaimed areas, with a higher elevation than the existing coastal area. It will extend from the Marina Barrage to the Tanah Merah Ferry Terminal, parallel to East Coast Park, with a total length of approximately 18 kilometers and an area of approximately 800 hectares, equivalent to two Marina Bays.

Rare mangrove species and mud lobsters confirm a mature ecological environment. The Lianhe Zaobao recently accompanied the environmental organization "Singapore Youth Voices for Biodiversity" to this newly formed mangrove forest on Marina East.

It is said that this area is home to critically endangered mangrove species, such as the ovary-leaved mangrove (Sonneratia ovata, Malay: Gedabu), previously found only in a few locations such as Pulau Ubin and the Sungai Buloh Wetland Reserve. These trees can grow up to 20 meters tall, with large, petalless flowers composed of numerous white stamens clustered into a powderpuff shape. The ovary-leaved mangrove's flowers bloom for only one night, emitting a yogurt-like scent that attracts bats and nectarbirds.

Another rare species is the sea lily (Bruguiera sexangula, Malay: Tumu Berau) with orange flowers. This plant was once thought to be extinct in the area until it was rediscovered in 2005. Two wild sea lilies are found each on Pulau Tekong and the Sungai Buloh Wetland Reserve, while others have been replanted on Pulau Ubin in Che Java and Pasir Ris Park. These plants can grow to 12 to 30 meters tall, with thick, opposite leaves, and rely on birds for pollination.

Here you can also find the water daphne (Pemphis acidula, Malay: Mentigi), a small, multi-branched shrub that is relatively rare locally. It usually grows in rocky or coral debris areas, is extremely tolerant of harsh environments, and has been found in Changi and St. John's Island.

Muhd Nasry, Executive Director of the Singapore Youth Biodiversity Voice, said, “While this mangrove forest is smaller compared to the vast mangroves of the Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve, it’s truly amazing to see it like this after so many years of neglect and oblivion. Hermit crabs, snails, and mudskippers also inhabit the mangroves.”

Here you can see mud towers built by mud lobsters, a feature typically found only in mature mangroves. After building their towers from mud and silt, the mud lobsters dig underground, creating burrows; these underground tunnels and burrows resemble “HDB flats,” with each level potentially becoming a habitat for other small creatures such as snakes, crabs, and fish.

Nasry explained, “The presence and size of the mud lobster towers are one indicator of mangrove maturity. The towers here are relatively small, but just their presence here is remarkable.”

Nasri said that with the upcoming development of coastal protection facilities, it is crucial to arrange for engineers to conduct on-site inspections to understand whether the mangroves will damage the seawall, and whether the mangroves extending into the seawall will cause it to crack. "How to strike a balance between construction projects and maintaining biodiversity, and even fulfilling the function of seawall protection, are all issues that need to be discussed."

In response to inquiries from Lianhe Zaobao, Dr. Karen, Senior Director of the National Biodiversity Centre of the National Parks Board, said that the authorities are aware of the mangrove forest along the eastern coastline of Marina Bay and conducted an on-site inspection in March this year. The authorities will study the mangrove forest in conjunction with relevant agencies when assessing development plans for the area.

====end of article======

We surveyed this larger patch of mangroves at Marina East in Apr 2025, which Arjun Sai Krishnan first explored in Dec 2025. I was excited to share with them what we saw on our survey in Feb 2026.

Mangroves on this artificial shore seems to be quite resilient and has survived massive development as well as the Pasir Panjang oil spill and other impacts. Looking at Google Earth over the years, it seems there was always a wild patch in that area since 2007, remaining there despite the massive works in the area through the decades. To me, it seems the area became more conducive to mangrove settlement after the jetty was constructed in 2014. This created an 'elbow' and a small beach on the eastern most end of the seawall.

The mangroves and seagrasses on this artificial shore have returned after every massive coastal works. These are the mangroves I saw near the Marina Barrage in 2008. Growing on the western most end in the seawall. These were lost due to works for the MCE.

What is the fate of this shore?

Massive reclamation is planned near the area we surveyed today as outlined recently in the Long-Term Plan Review. From Tanah Merah Ferry Terminal to Marina Bay.

This shore will also be affected by plans for Long Island, the 800ha reclamation off the East Coast.

Other shores surveyed (May 2026)

noreply@blogger.com (Ria Tan) — Fri, 29 May 2026 21:00:00 +0000

Besides the main surveys, the team split up on some dates to also guide. To take advantage of the very few super low tides during daylight! Many team members visited various parts of Changi. Other shores visited on this tide include Pasir Ris and Sentosa Tg. Rimau.

Collage of photos by the team. Links to their albums below.

People don't believe me when I say, Changi is among the best shores to see a wide variety of nudibranchs. No need to dive! Here's photos of recent sightings by the team, mostly by our nudi whisperer Jianlin who visited in April. Love the photo of the big orgy of Jorunna nudis complete with laid egg ribbons and chomped up sponges. Also, a new Singapore record of Limenandra fusiformis, many colourful slugs and flatworms too.

It's a relief to know there are still manysea stars on this shore which is so well visited and facing heavy boat traffic. Knobbly sea stars large and medium sized were seen, as well as a variety of other sea stars.

Collage of photos by the team. Links to their albums below.

Other exciting observations include a super tiny frogfish, octopus and her eggs laid inside an empty Noble volute shell. The mama octopus constantly guards her eggs literally with her life, often dying of starvation in the end. Another special sighting was of 6-8 Blood spotted swimming crabs (Portunus sanguinolentus) which so far, the team has only seen once on the intertidal at Kusu Island. There were also other special crabs and a spearer mantis shrimp. As well as interesting fishes including a cusk-eel, which we usually only commonly see in the South.

Collage of photos by the team. Links to their albums below.

Other shores visited on this tide include Pasir Ris and Sentosa Tg. Rimau.

Volunteers from Singapore Youth Voices for Biodiversity brought SPS Goh Hanyan to Pulau Hantu (5 May) and Cyrene (21 May). Where she saw for herself how mangroves can thrive alongside man-made coastal protection structures such as seawalls, highlighting how nature-based solutions can complement engineered measures. And how coastal protection measures can be thoughtfully designed to integrate existing recreational uses like intertidal walks, fishing and diving, ensuring these spaces remain accessible and enjoyable for the public.

Photos from SPS Goh's post.

On 20 May, Zen Xuan He and I supported a walk with about 40 PSC scholars at Kusu Island. So they could see for themselves how corals are thriving less than half an hour away from the Central Business District. Full of interesting marine life like Knobbly sea star, Upside down jellyfish and crabs - thanks to Zen for finding and sharing about them.

Followed by a visit to the Marine Park Public Gallery at the St John's Island National Marine Lab. Where we learned about the exciting 100k corals project from Dr Lionel Ng. Quite amazing to see the work on cultivating coral fragments to plant out onto our shores.

We sure managed to cover a lot of ground this last cycle of low spring tides!
Photo albums SPS Goh Hanyan's visit to Pulau Hantu (5 May) and Cyrene (21 May)

Rui Quan Oh surveyed Pasir Ris

Chay Hoon checked out Changi on 19 May

Rui Quan Oh checked out Changi on 17 and 18 May

Zen Xuan He checked out Sentosa in May 2026

Marcus Ng checked out Changi

And Changi again

Zen Xuan He checked out Changi

Jianlin Liu checked out Changi in April (posted in May)

Plans will relocate food farms to 'wrap around' Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve

noreply@blogger.com (Ria Tan) — Tue, 26 May 2026 01:16:08 +0000

A change in land use was announced which will concentrate food farms closer to and 'wrapping around' Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve. There are currently no food farms in this area, which previously was designated for military use and thus served as a buffer to the nature spaces in the Reserve.

What potential impact? Land-based food farms can be highly pollutive, affecting the quality of water that flows through the Reserve and into the Johor Strait, where the fish farms are. We need to monitor closely these plans to move them so close to Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve.

When will this happen? When will this happen? Affected farms will be allowed to remain on site until their land tenures expire, ranging from 2026 to the mid-2030s.

Seng Choon egg farm to move after land-use changes announced for Lim Chu Kang; four other farms affected
The lease for Seng Choon Farm, one of the three egg farms in Singapore, will expire in 2036 and it is working on finding a new site to move into before that.
Natasha Ganesan Channel NewsAsia 25 May 2026 05:00PM

SINGAPORE: Seng Choon egg farm will move out of its current premises after the government announced on Monday (May 25) land-use changes in Lim Chu Kang.

Besides Seng Choon, four other farms are also affected by the changes.

The Singapore Food Agency (SFA), Ministry of Defence (MINDEF), National Parks Board (NParks) and the Singapore Land Authority (SLA) said in a joint media release on Monday that to optimise land use, the land to the north of Lim Chu Kang that is currently designated for defence will be reallocated for future agricultural developments.

The southern part of Lim Chu Kang, where the five farms are, will be repurposed for defence uses.

"The land-use changes will allow the government to explore how the physical co-location of food and non-food farms to the north of Lim Chu Kang could benefit from shared facilities and integrated infrastructure planning for more efficient operations, better logistics and to lower production costs," the authorities said.

"In addition, the land-use changes will result in contiguous land that will better serve defence uses."

Seng Choon egg farm's managing director Koh Yeow Koon told CNA it is working with the authorities on finding a new site. Its lease expires in 2036.

At present, there are no food farms in the north of Lim Chu Kang. SFA said the land-use changes will progressively commence after the farms' licence tenures expire.

AFFECTED FARMS

Apart from Seng Choon Farm, other affected farms are Bollywood Farms, Gan Aquarium, Gallop Kranji Farm Resort and Malaysian Feedmills Farms.

Bollywood Farms and Gan Aquarium have leases expiring in December 2026, while Gallop Kranji Farm Resort's lease expires in March 2027. The lease of Malaysian Feedmills Farms ends in 2037.

All affected farms were informed early for clarity and to give them sufficient lead time to plan their business and operations, said the authorities in response to CNA's queries.

The three farms with leases/tenancies expiring in December 2026 and March 2027 were notified since 2020 that no further lease renewals would be granted, they added.

"The remaining two farms with leases expiring in 2036 and 2037 have also been provided with at least 10 years’ advance notice ahead of their lease expiry."

CNA has asked SFA if Seng Choon and Malaysian Feedmills Farms would be given lease extensions if requested.

Seng Choon is one of three egg farms in Singapore. SFA said it is working closely with the farm to support its operations and minimise disruptions, and to safeguard the supply of locally produced eggs and Singapore's "broader food security".

Mr Koh said the farm would complete its lease in September 2036 and is working with the relevant authorities for a new farm site to move into.

"Starting with a blank slate will allow us to integrate the latest technologies, innovation, and sustainability initiatives into the future of our farm," he added.

Singapore’s three egg farms produced 736.7 million eggs in 2025, down from 773.5 million the year before.

According to its website, Seng Choon Farm moved into its current 36-acre farm site in the agricultural estate of the Lim Chu Kang Agrotechnology Park in 2010 from its former premises at Sungei Tengah Road. The farm produces more than 200 million eggs annually.

Also read:

Bollywood Farms is operating on a site that was originally awarded through a public tender for a 20-year lease that expired in 2021.

Following the lease expiry and at Bollywood Farms' request, the government granted it short-term tenancy extensions on a "goodwill basis to facilitate its transition".

The first extension granted was from Apr 15, 2021, to Dec 31, 2023, and a second extension granted was from Jan 1, 2024, to Dec 31, 2026.

"Such requests for extension are considered carefully on a case-by-case basis, taking into account factors such as land use plans, operational considerations, and the lessee’s transition plans. In this case, the extensions granted were intended to facilitate the farm’s transition," said SFA.

"Bollywood Farm has since requested ... a further tenancy extension and we are considering the request carefully."

Affected farms may continue to remain onsite until their tenures expire, after which the land will be returned to the government for consolidation. There will be no early termination of leases, said the authorities.

Farms that wish to continue operations can participate in SFA's annual Singapore Agri-space Sales programme, where agricultural land and sea spaces are released through open tenders.

Non-food farms such as plant nurseries can opt for NParks' land tenders.

"The government is engaging and working closely with affected farms to support a smooth transition and ensure continuity of local agriculture uses," the authorities said.

SFA added that the impact on affected farms is "not expected to have a material effect" on Singapore's overall food supply, and that the 2035 local production targets have taken into consideration the long-term land use and transition plans in Lim Chu Kang.

The government revised its food production goals in November 2025, with new targets being for local farms to supply 20 per cent of the local consumption of fibre and 30 per cent of the local consumption of protein by 2035.

The land use changes are also part of the Lim Chu Kang Masterplan, which seeks to optimise the limited land area for food production and at the same time, transform Lim Chu Kang into an agri-food zone.

"The land use changes are part of this planning process. Given the scale and complexity of the development, the implementation will be phased over time and need to be carefully assessed," said SFA.

SFA will also be embarking on a technical and feasibility study for a multi-tenanted facility to test-bed new ideas that can be applied in Lim Chu Kang.

"As a small island nation, Singapore's limited land requires careful planning to meet national needs, including housing, national defence, jobs, infrastructure and food production," said the authorities.

"Strategic land use changes are necessary to optimise our scarce land resources to meet evolving national needs and ensure Singapore's continued growth and development."

DEFENCE USE

MINDEF said in response to CNA's queries that the land-use change has increased the terrain capacity for military training.

"This will enhance training realism, support combined arms training across a wider range of training scenarios, and improve contiguity for platform operations – resulting in more effective training and operational readiness," it added.

Beyond that, Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) camps in the area are not affected.

The defence ministry began the process of taking over the land parcels in the north of Lim Chu Kang in late 2025, as they were earmarked for defence use.

"As we facilitate this change in land use, we will work with SFA and relevant agencies to handover the land parcels in the Lim Chu Kang north and take over the land parcels in Lim Chu Kang south when the farm leases expire," it said.

The ministry will start repurposing the land at Lim Chu Kang south after it takes over. This will be done in phases, following the end of the leases or tenancy of the farms in the area, it said.

Farmland south of Lim Chu Kang to be zoned for defence, land further north to be used for agriculture
Shabana Begum Straits Times May 25, 2026, 05:00 PM

SINGAPORE - Agricultural land south of Lim Chu Kang will be zoned for defence use in the near future, and military land in the north, closer to other farms, will be reallocated for future farming use.

Concentrating farmland in the north of the area will advance development of an agri-food hub that has faced delays since it was announced in 2020 under the Lim Chu Kang masterplan.

The land-use changes were announced on May 25 by the Singapore Food Agency (SFA), the Ministry of Defence (MINDEF), the National Parks Board and the Singapore Land Authority.

“(This) will allow the Government to explore how the physical co-location of food and non-food farms to the north of Lim Chu Kang could benefit from shared facilities and integrated infrastructure planning for more efficient operations, better logistics and to lower production costs,” the organisations said.

Affected farms in the south may continue to remain on site until their land tenures expire, after which the land will be returned for consolidation for military use. The tenure expiry dates range from 2026 to the mid-2030s.

Five farm leaseholders currently occupy the southern plots in Neo Tiew Lane and Neo Tiew Road: Seng Choon Farm, Bollywood Farms, Gan Aquarium Fish Farm, Gallop Kranji Farm Resort and Malaysian Feedmills Farms, which has multiple agricultural tenants on its plot.

The government agencies added that there will be no early termination of leases.

Affected farms that wish to continue operations when the re-zoning takes effect have to bid for agricultural land, as it is not guaranteed they will be relocated to the northern plot.

The government agencies said Singapore’s 2035 local production targets – which include producing 20 per cent of the country’s consumed fibre by that date – have taken into account the land use and transition plans in Lim Chu Kang.

“The impact on affected farms is not expected to have a material effect to our overall food supply,” they added.

The leases for Bollywood Farms and Gan Aquarium will expire in December 2026, and Gallop Kranji Farm Resort’s lease will expire in March 2027.

They were notified since 2020 that no further tenure renewals would be granted, said SFA.

The leases for Seng Choon – one of three egg farms in the country – and Malaysian Feedmills Farms will expire in 2036 and 2037 respectively, and they were given at least 10 years’ notice ahead of their lease expiry.

“All affected farms had been informed early, to provide clarity and enable them to have sufficient lead time for business and operational planning,” added the agencies.

SFA added that it is working closely with the egg farm to support its operations and minimise disruptions to safeguard the supply of locally produced eggs and Singapore’s broader food security.

Local egg farms’ productivity has been more consistent than those of aquaculture and high-tech vegetable farms.

Seng Choon managing director Koh Yeow Koon said the egg farm was hoping to stay on in Neo Tiew Road beyond 2036 to make the best use of its investments in the latest farming technologies.

“With the lease decay, these investments would become harder to make. We are disappointed that the lease could not be extended,” he added. The farm is currently working with the authorities to find a future site.

While Bollywood Farms’ 20-year lease expired in 2021, the Government granted two short-term tenancy extensions “on a goodwill basis to facilitate its transition”.

The latest extension expires on Dec 31, 2026.

“Bollywood Farms has since requested a further tenancy extension and we are considering the request carefully,” added SFA.

The organisations said the changes in land use announced on May 25 are part of the planning process for the Lim Chu Kang masterplan.

In 2020, SFA said about 390ha of land in the area, which stretches from near Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve to the south of Lim Chu Kang, will come under a masterplan to create a “high-tech, highly productive and resource-efficient agri-food cluster”.

It was later reported in 2024 that developmental work for the masterplan, which was to begin that year, was delayed.

With more land zoned for agriculture in the north, it is unclear how the masterplan’s profile will change.

“SFA is advancing the Lim Chu Kang masterplan through interagency planning and assessment on land use optimisation, infrastructure needs and environmental considerations, including coastal protection,” said the organisations.

The masterplan will also study infrastructure requirements for non-food farms such as ornamental fish farms and nurseries.

To test new ideas that could be applied under the masterplan, SFA will be embarking on a technical and feasibility study on a multi-tenant facility where multiple types of farms can operate under one roof and share resources, which can help reduce their production costs.

The agency is conducting market-sensing and technical studies to evaluate which concepts and ideas should be pursued.

Gallop Kranji Farm Resort’s deputy director Mani Shanker was hoping that the lease could be renewed until 2030 at least, and is currently evaluating the resort’s future plans after 2027.

“We remain open to exploring possible opportunities, including participating in future tenders if suitable options arise, or assessing alternative locations depending on feasibility and operational considerations,” said Mrs Shanker.

“Relocating a resort and recreational facility is definitely not an easy process. There are significant investment and reinstatement costs involved, as well as the challenge of rebuilding infrastructure, customer base and business continuity at a new site,” she added.

MINDEF began the process of taking over the land parcels in the northern plot in Lim Chu Kang Lane in late 2025.

Converting the southern plot for military use ensures contiguous land that will better serve defence uses, said the agencies.

Tengah Air Base and Murai Camp are located nearby.

“The change in land use also increases the terrain capacity for MINDEF and the Singapore Armed Forces’ training,” added MINDEF.

“This will enhance training realism, support combined arms training across a wider range of training scenarios, and improve contiguity for platform operations – resulting in more effective training and operational readiness.”

Government to implement land-use change in Lim Chu Kang
Joint media release 25 May 2026

The Government will be implementing land-use changes in Lim Chu Kang. These changes arise from ongoing reviews of land use to meet Singapore’s evolving needs. To better optimise land use, the land to the north of Lim Chu Kang that is currently designated for defence will be reallocated for future agricultural developments, while the southern part of Lim Chu Kang will be repurposed for defence uses.

Benefits of Consolidating Land Uses

2 As a small island nation, Singapore's limited land requires careful planning to meet national needs including housing, national defence, jobs, infrastructure, and food production. Strategic land use changes are necessary to optimise our scarce land resources to meet evolving national needs and ensure Singapore’s continued growth and development.

3 Growing food locally remains an important pillar of our Singapore Food Story 2, complementing the other pillars of diversifying import, stockpiling, and global partnerships to ensure overall food resilience.

4 The land-use changes will allow the government to explore how the physical co-location of food and non-food farms to the north of Lim Chu Kang could benefit from shared facilities and integrated infrastructure planning for more efficient operations, better logistics and to lower production costs. In addition, the land-use changes will result in contiguous land that will better serve defence uses.

Supporting Affected Farms

5 Five farm site lessees will be affected by the land-use changes. The leases of two farms will expire in the mid-2030s. The leases/tenancies of the remaining three farms will expire in December 2026 and March 2027, and agencies have notified them since 2020 that no further lease renewals would be granted. A map of the affected farm plots and an indicative location of proposed agriculture area to the north of Lim Chu Kang is provided in ANNEX.

6 Affected farms may continue to remain onsite until the expiry of their tenures, after which the land will be returned for consolidation. There will be no early termination of leases. Farms that wish to continue operations have the option of participating in Singapore Food Agency (SFA)’s annual Singapore Agri-space Sales (SAS) programme or the National Parks Board (NParks)’ land tenders.

7 The Government is engaging and working closely with affected farms to support a smooth transition and ensure continuity of local agriculture uses.

ANNEX: Map of the affected farm plots and indicative areas for proposed agriculture areas

Issued by Singapore Food Agency, Ministry of Defence, National Parks Board, Singapore Land Authority
25 May 2026

Three farms affected by Lim Chu Kang land-use changes seek lease extensions as expiry dates draw near

Two farm owners questioned why they have to leave within the next year, when two other farms will still be operating in the same area for at least another 10 years.

Natasha Ganesan Channel NewsAsia 01 Jun 2026 06:00AM

SINGAPORE: With less than a year to go until their leases expire, three farms in Lim Chu Kang are fighting for a chance to extend their tenures and hold on to their land.

These farms – Bollywood Farms, Gan Aquarium and Gallop Kranji Farm Resort – are hoping that their leases can be extended for at least three more years to keep running the businesses they poured decades of work into.

"I know the authorities have given enough time, we understand all that," said Gallop Kranji Farm Resort founder Mani Shanker.

"But what we're merely asking is … from the time our lease finishes to the time of the cut-off point that they have to hand over the land, I think this space is something that they should look at allowing us to continue," he added.

"I think everybody in the farm will also agree that this little extension plays a very, very important part for us."

The three farms are currently situated in the southern part of Lim Chu Kang, which will undergo land-use changes, the government announced last Monday (May 25).

The government will repurpose the southern part of Lim Chu Kang for defence uses, while the land to the north of Lim Chu Kang that is currently designated for defence will be reallocated for future agricultural developments.

Bollywood Farms and Gan Aquarium have leases until December 2026, while Gallop Kranji Farm Resort has a lease until March 2027.

Another two farms are also affected: Seng Choon egg farm and Malaysian Feedmills Farms. But these have a longer runway, with leases expiring in 2036 and 2037, respectively, allowing them to continue operating for at least another 10 years.

Authorities said on Monday that all affected farms were informed early for clarity and to give them sufficient lead time to plan their business and operations.

The Singapore Food Agency (SFA), one of the authorities involved in the land-use changes, noted that the three farms with leases/tenancies expiring over the next year were notified since 2020 that no further lease renewals would be granted.

At least two of those farms questioned the need to move out within the next year, given that Seng Choon and Malaysian Feedmills Farms would still be operating in the same area for at least a decade.

At present, there are no food farms in the north of Lim Chu Kang.

LEASE EXTENSIONS

Mrs Ivy Singh-Lim, who owns Bollywood Farms with her husband, is appealing for a three-year extension of the lease on the land at 100 Neo Tiew Road, which also serves as their home.

The site was originally awarded through a public tender for a 20-year lease that expired in 2021.

Following the lease expiry and at Bollywood Farms' request, the government granted it two short-term tenancy extensions - from 2021 to 2023 and 2024 to 2026 - on a "goodwill basis” to facilitate its transition.

But Mrs Singh-Lim told CNA she has requested a further tenancy extension as she does not want to leave her house that has been adapted to suit the needs of her husband, who is wheelchair-bound.

"You look at this house, he can roll around to the front, he can roll to the bedroom. We built a special toilet, he can roll himself to the toilet," Mrs Singh-Lim said.

"The reason I'm appealing for an extension is so that I can live here for another three years. I'll be 80 years old, my husband will be 86 years old, and he's been in a wheelchair for many years.

"So by that time, I think we're ready to move into a retirement home," she said, adding that she has already arranged to relocate to one such place run by a friend.

"We don't have to look for another interim place before we retire to a retirement home."

She is confident that she will get an extension, adding that she has written to her Member of Parliament Zhulkarnain Abdul Rahim.

Mrs Singh-Lim told CNA that she will not be moving out until she gets a clear answer on what her land will be used for.

"I don't know what they want to take it back for now. I believe it's for the Ministry of Defence but what is the defence ministry going to do here?" she asked.

"If you don't give me a straightforward answer, I'm not moving. I've told them already, if they really need it for something really serious, I will move," she said.

Asked what she will do if the extension is not granted, she said: "I have no plans. I'm just not going to move out."

Aside from growing vegetables, the farm also hosts educational events for students.

It is a chance for them to experience the countryside, she said. "So I think our government has got to be careful about how many farms they close down," she added.

In response to CNA's queries, SFA said it has received Bollywood Farms' request for a further tenancy extension and is considering the request carefully.

Gallop Kranji Farm Resort's Mr Shanker also pointed to his property being a place for people in Singapore to get away from the city and to get a taste of village life.

It is a resort that combines farmland, with more than 30 tenants, including herb and bird farm owners.

"Singapore needs something like that, a place where kids can understand nature, kids can get closer to animals," said Mr Shanker.

The site Gallop Kranji Farm Resort occupies has a 20-year lease period that will end in March next year. Mr Shanker is hoping the lease can be extended until 2030 at least, before the land is taken over.

"It will be good for the authorities to understand that this is also very important for us to extend to the maximum until you want to take back the land. Don't take it back early and keep it empty," he said.

"Those few years can also be very critical for us to do some business, or give the opportunity for Singaporeans to enjoy what has been set up. Rather than you take it back, and then you keep it empty for three more years," he added.

"(It's) not so much about business, but for the people to enjoy the opportunity for such a place, because it's going to be gone. I don't think we can emulate a place like that anymore, honestly," he said.

Mr Gan Kian Leng, who has been single-handedly running Gan Aquarium for 26 years, was similarly concerned that his land would be left unused before it is officially taken over by the government.

His lease, which is also for 20 years, will expire this December. But he questioned the need to move this year, given that Seng Choon and Malaysian Feedmills Farms will still be operating for at least another 10 years.

"Since Seng Choon (has) another 10 years … why don't let us all carry on?

"We can carry on our business, I can also produce something different," said Mr Gan, who lives on the farm with his elderly parents.

The 72-year-old farm owner breeds red Arowana and Soon Hock fish, or Marble Goby, which he has dedicated years of work to. He said it took him six years to grow and successfully breed his Arowana fish.

He started experimenting with Marble Goby three years ago and was just about to see the results of his work. He believes what he does is important and adds value to Singapore's freshwater fish species.

"I want to do something for the country, for the government. But they don't appreciate me, I cannot say anything," he added.

If no extension is granted, he said he may be forced to close his business.

Authorities said the land-use changes will allow them to explore how the physical co-location of food and non-food farms to the north of Lim Chu Kang could benefit from shared facilities and integrated infrastructure planning.

In response to CNA’s queries, SFA said any requests for further extensions beyond lease or tenancy expiry will be considered on a case-by-case basis.

It will take into account factors such as broader land-use plans, operational considerations and the lessee’s or tenant’s transition plans.

In response to queries on farm owners having to move out earlier, it added: "The different timelines for the phasing out of farms are based on their existing leases and tenancies.

“Redevelopment works have been planned based on these timelines."

The Ministry of Defence said agencies will proceed with the necessary reinstatement works as early as 2030, once sites are returned at the end of the farms' lease or tenancy.

"Any development at the vacated farms shall only take place after reinstatement works and feasibility studies have been completed. This is expected to take place from the 2030s," it added.

Farms that wish to continue operations can participate in SFA's annual Singapore Agri-space Sales programme, where agricultural land and sea spaces are released through open tenders.

Food farms relocating to a new site can apply for the Agri-food Cluster Transformation Fund, which provides co-funding for local farms to adopt farming technologies and upgrade their capabilities. Those who require additional help can contact their account manager in SFA for assistance.

Non-food farms can opt for the National Parks Board's land tenders and tap on the Landscape and Animal Sector Productivity Grant to defray the cost of buying equipment.

LONGER LEASES

The highest profile farm affected by the land-use changes is Seng Choon, one of Singapore's three egg farms. Its lease expires in September 2036, and it is making plans after the news broke on Monday.

"While we were saddened by the situation, we are also excited about this new phase of growth for Seng Choon," said managing director Koh Yeow Koon.

Seng Choon will continue operating at its current site until the end of its tenure, while also working closely with the relevant authorities to secure a new site – ideally at least five years before the lease expires, Mr Koh told CNA.

This will allow sufficient time to ensure a smooth transition, and he does not expect disruptions to operations or egg supply.

He added that the farm had previously discussed with SFA the possibility of extending its lease beyond 2036. The farm has invested about S$3 million (US$2.3 million) over the past three years in artificial intelligence and automation to improve the efficiency of its quality control processes and reduce the physical workload on senior workers.

"While we had hoped for the opportunity to continue at our current site, we appreciate the government’s early notice, which provides us with valuable time to plan ahead in a thoughtful and responsible manner," Mr Koh said.

"Although we have strong emotional and operational ties to this site, we see this transition as an opportunity to design and build an even more advanced and future-ready Seng Choon."

Having a new facility will allow the farm to better integrate emerging technologies such as solar photovoltaics, which convert sunlight into electricity.

The future farm layout will also be built to support advanced AI systems and robotics for greater efficiency, sustainability and long-term growth, said Mr Koh.

"Our shared priority is to ensure continuity for both our customers and our 130 employees throughout this transition," he added.

Mr Koh said the farm appreciates any available government grants that can support its transition and the strong support extended to local farms like itself.

"Given the significant costs involved in relocating and rebuilding our operations, we also look forward to continued partnership and support from the government as we move into this next phase of growth."

Meanwhile, Malaysian Feedmills Farms has no plans at the moment, given that its lease expires in 2037, managing director Saw Chau Hian told CNA. He bought the 13ha land in the late 1980s and rented out plots to tenants.

Today, there are more than 10 farms occupying the land.

Mr Saw, 80, used to do egg farming but stopped about 10 years ago. Now, he focuses his time on a food waste recycling endeavour, where he collects food waste materials with high protein and converts them into fish feed.

"I'm already 80 … quite old already," he said when asked why he had no plans beyond 2037.

Instead, he will use the next 11 years to continue recycling food waste.

"It's a very high-cost hobby," Mr Saw said. "But I think it's very meaningful for society. It can cut costs a lot, maybe cut about half of the cost of feed," he said, adding that less waste is also incinerated.

Mr Aaron Sim, owner of Imperial Arowana Breeding Farm, which occupies a plot at Malaysian Feedmills Farms, was unfazed about the lease expiry.

But the 44-year-old acknowledged there will be challenges in finding a new place because it needs to be big enough for Arowana fish breeding. "It's not just putting in two fish in … it is like humans," said Mr Sim.

"They need to find their own partners, they need to date, and then they pair up. Only then do they start the nest, and then they start laying the eggs. With respect to that, space is an issue."

"It's an impact to us in terms of cost. It's not cheap to maintain a farm," he added.

He plans to continue his operations at the current location until the lease expires, while keeping a lookout for new spaces.

But he is not expecting any extensions, stating that the lease periods are already laid out up front in contracts.

"Lease is up means lease is up. If they give us a lease extension, that's a bonus. It's not something that must be given," said Mr Sim.

Source: CNA/ng(mi)

Signs of recovery from 2024 Pasir Panjang Oil Spill

noreply@blogger.com (Ria Tan) — Sat, 23 May 2026 22:08:38 +0000

Studies suggest there is recovery on shores affected by the 2024 Pasir Panjang Oil Spill.

One of the studies involved 100 citizen scientists, who collected samples from 10 sites including Pasir Ris Beach, Changi Beach, Lazarus Island and St John’s Island for a year. These studies are expected to be completed by end-2026.

Marine life affected by 2024 Pasir Panjang oil spill showing signs of recovery
Claudia Tan Straits Times 16 May 2026

SINGAPORE – When two vessels collided near Pasir Panjang Terminal in June 2024, the resultant oil spill affected marine life, which is showing signs of recovery, a research study found.

Samples collected from St John’s Island and Lazarus Island showed that the amount of oil in the sediments has also decreased.

Initial findings from the study were shared at the National Parks Board’s (NParks) inaugural oil spill management symposium on May 16 at Jurong Lake Gardens.

Titled Building Knowledge, Bridging Stakeholders, it hopes to improve Singapore’s response to such incidents.

Among those who attended were the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore, the Oiled Wildlife Care Network, and the ITOPF, a global non-profit which responds to oil, chemical and cargo spills.

Participants discussed oil spill responses, crisis communications and wildlife care.

The 2024 spill was caused by a collision between Netherlands-flagged dredger Vox Maxima and Singapore-flagged bunker vessel Marine Honour. It ruptured one of the latter’s oil cargo tanks, releasing 400 tonnes of oil into the sea.

It was the worst oil spill in Singapore in a decade.

Oil slick washed up on several beaches, including Labrador Nature Reserve, Sentosa and East Coast Park.

The clean-up operation took more than two months to complete.

Four Dutch crew members were handed fines in April 2025 for failing to discharge their duties properly.

The last major oil spill in Singapore was in 2010, after a tanker and a bulk carrier collided near Changi. About 2,500 tonnes of oil flowed into the sea.

In 1997, close to 28,500 tonnes of oil entered the Singapore Strait after two tankers collided.

Minister of State for National Development and Trade and Industry Alvin Tan, who attended the launch on May 16, said several volunteers, public officers and partners helped contain the 2024 incident.

NParks worked with the scientific community and volunteers to assess the ecological impact of affected sites.

Mr Tan said: “While they discovered that there was no significant impact during the preliminary surveys, the longer-term repercussions can unfold.”

Effective oil spill management must go beyond quick responses, and has to be grounded in science, data and long-term mitigation strategies, he said.

Natural recovery

In early 2025, NParks worked with the Tropical Marine Science Institute (TMSI), St John’s Island National Marine Laboratory (SJINML) and the National Institute of Education (NIE) to launch a national monitoring programme to study the recovery of marine diversity and habitats after the incident.

Two studies were rolled out and are slated to be completed by end-2026.

In the first study, researchers from TMSI and SJINML collected samples from Bendara Bay at St John’s Island and Eagle Bay on Lazarus Island quarterly after the accident.

Dr Tan Koh Siang, principal research fellow at TMSI, said his team tracked the amount of oil that remained in the sediment, and found it had reduced significantly.

By November 2025, the oil was undetectable.

Close to 11,000 specimens have been collected, and researchers are studying which species were most affected to determine their recovery patterns.

There was also an increase in the amount of marine life present, said Dr Tan.

The second study, led by NIE, examined the health of marine snails affected by the spill, compared with those found at other beaches the oil did not reach.

The team, which included 100 citizen scientists, collected marine snail samples from 10 sites including Pasir Ris Beach, Changi Beach, Lazarus Island and St John’s Island for a year.

The citizen scientists, who are volunteers, attended a training workshop on biomarker observation. Some collected samples and processed them in the lab.

The study found that marine snails exposed to the oil had worse biomarkers compared with those found elsewhere.

NIE senior lecturer Beverly Goh said the study can be used to monitor changes in marine environmental conditions.

She said: “It’s like when coal miners lower canaries into the mine. When the canary gets stressed, they know there might be a gas leak.

“So, we can do the same thing with these organisms. Once they become abnormal, we can investigate and do something (about it).”

Related blog posts

Pasir Panjang Terminal oil spill (14 Jun 2024) Jun 2024
Pasir Panjang oil spill: media articles on impacts Jul 2024
Launch of 15-month study to assess oil spill impact on marine biodiversity Oct 2024
Recent oil spills discussed in Parliament, 11 Nov 2024 Nov 2024
Repeated oil spills compromise marine life Feb 2025
Oil-eating bacteria as a response to oil spills Oct 2025

More posts about our surveys of the 2024 Pasir Panjang Oil Spill impact.

Other socials about the Symposium

Reefs on Ferry Terminal seawall doing well

noreply@blogger.com (Ria Tan) — Wed, 20 May 2026 23:02:00 +0000

Today, a small team returns to survey the amazing coral reef that has settled naturally on the seawalls of Tanah Merah Ferry Terminal. Lush seagrasses also settled naturally in the artificial lagoon next to the Ferry terminal.

This shore was impacted by mass coral bleaching and the 400tonne Pasir Panjang oil spill in 2024. Today, the corals seem to be getting back to normal, while seagrasses are doing well. We also saw a variety of marine life from signs of otters, to many kinds of sea anemones.

Corals are more obvious when they are bleaching. This is what we saw during mass coral bleaching in Jul 2024, when we estimated about 30% of corals were bleaching outright.

When we surveyed in May 2025, this is what we saw. No more bleaching, although I sensed that there were fewer corals. Many of the coral colonies on the high shore were dead. Seems today, the reef here is coming back to the way it was before the impacts in 2024.

Today on the Ferry Terminal seawall, we saw many healthy, large colonies without any dings or dead parts. Our corals are pretty tough, considering they were affected by the mass coral bleaching AND the Pasir Panjang oil spill in 2024.

Today, as in the past, most of the corals at the Ferry Terminal seawall were boulder shaped of the commonly encountered kind. But there were also some special corals and even a few small colonies of Leathery soft corals and a Leathery sea fan.

Many corals have also settled on the seawall that forms the lagoon next to the Ferry Terminal. Both on the outside seaward side, and also those inside the lagoon. I only had a brief look as those inside the lagoon. Most are boulder shaped species, but there were also many plate-forming species. Similar to our survey in May 2025, many boulder Pore corals were pale brown, and many patches of Zebra coral were very pale. Other kinds of corals were alright.

We saw many otter prints in the lagoon. They must have been there while we were at the seawall, which we surveyed first at the lowest tide. There were also prints of monitor lizards and large shore birds. The rest of the team make the special finds like huge chitons, large cowries, big black sea urchins as well as special hermit crabs. We saw a few Common sea stars, many Cake sand dollars and a Spider conch. Also 2 Snaky sea anemones and many Fire anemones as well as a few carpet anemones (Giant and Haddon's), and Frilly sea anemones.

Today, the seagrass situation in the lagoon is somewhat similar to our last survey in May 2025 and Jul 2024. The big patch of Smooth ribbon seagrass is still huge. One smaller patch is starting to grow as well. Leaves are mostly fresh and green, with many tiny snails and other marine life among them.

The Tape seagrass I saw varied from very short cropped leaves to long ones (30-50cm). I saw three with female flowers. There were still many clumps well distributed throughout the shore.

There seems to be many more patches of Sickle seagrass than in the past, almost the entire length of the shore closer to the seawall. I saw some with cropped leaves, others with very long fresh green leaves. I saw a small patch of Needle seagrass with broad leaves. I saw very few small patches of Spoon seagrass, which in the past was the most abundant species, growing almost throughout the shore.

On the high shore, a narrow line of litter is accumulating - quite 'good' for a shore that is not cleaned daily. This is similar to what we saw in Jul 2024. I am glad to see that there are no longer many single-use water cups, which commonly wash up on beaches along the ferry routes. These cups are not commonly used by beach goers or the local boating or fishing community. But these single-use water cups are apparently given out to passengers on ferries. Perhaps MPA has plugged the gap in ferry trash? I have long been asking MPA to provide facilities at piers/terminals under their charge for vessels to responsibly dispose of trash generated during their operation. More in this post.

There were also large trash impacting corals growing on the seawall. A large piece of plywood was killing a coral colony. We tried to remove it but half of it was buried in the sand and we probably need shovels to get it out.

Where did all these corals come from?

The babies of these corals are from Singapore reefs! This chart shared in the Long-Term Plan Review shows coral larvae (babies) dispersal in our waters from mass coral spawning. This highlights the importance of protecting our 'mother reefs' so that they can continue to produce babies that settle all along our shoreline.

What is the fate of this shore?

Massive reclamation is planned near the area we surveyed today as outlined recently in the Long-Term Plan Review.

We restarted surveying this shore again in Jun 2022 after a break of nearly ten years. This shore is now strictly off limits without a permit. We surveyed with permission from agencies kindly arranged by NParks and with support from the Ferry Terminal.

Natural regeneration on Singapore's artificial shores and structures is already happening now. Unintentionally, with zero replanting. Can we plan coastal works to allow reefs, mangroves and seagrasses to naturally regenerate? Naturalise canals leading to the sea for a continuum of freshwater wetlands to mangroves? Imagine what's possible! Reefs and natural marine ecosystems at our doorstep, for all in the City to enjoy. More about this idea in my feedback to the Draft Master Plan 2013.

The Singapore Blue Plan 2018

Check out the Sinapore Blue Plan 2018 which outlines community recommendations for all these shores. DOWNLOAD the Plan, SUPPORT the Plan! More on the Singapore Blue Plan 2018 site.

Photos

High-res photos by me on wildsingapore flickr

Photos by others on this survey

Rui Quan Oh

Zen Xuan He

Dylan Seng

Jaeden Lim

Others on the survey: Nicholas Yap, Yan Le Su and SYVB volunteers.

Recovery at coral garden at East Coast Park

noreply@blogger.com (Ria Tan) — Wed, 20 May 2026 04:19:00 +0000

Thanks to Lon, Rui Quan and Dylan for surveying the amazing coral garden that has settled on artificial shores at East Coast Park.

Photo by Lon Voon Ong.

In 2024, this shore was impacted by mass coral bleaching, the 400tonne Pasir Panjang oil spill and the 5tonne Changi East oil overspill. Oil that landed on this shore was not cleaned as thoroughly because it is not a recreational beach. It's a relief to know the corals and seagrasses here seem to have recovered well in such a short time.

The super low tide allows a closer look at the 'elbow' or 'corner' of the seawall that extends out of Tanah Merah Ferry Terminal, forming a lagoon around the canal that runs next to the East Coast PCN.

Thanks to Lon, who is the only one among our team who can safely walk right to the 'elbow' of the seawall and bring back these amazing views of dense growths of corals there!

How lovely to know some less commonly encountered corals are found here, together with the usual common boulder shaped and plate forming corals.

It's relief to see this recovery because on our survey in Jul 2024, we estimated 90% of the corals were bleaching or highly stressed, with about 50% with dying or with dead portions (greyish colour is rotting tissue which smells bad). On our Oct 2024 survey, 90% were stone cold dead, all plate-forming corals were dead. Even in Jun 2025, we still saw signs of oil on this shore.

Dead and dying corals seen in in Jul 2024

Today, I am amazed by what seems to be new young coral colonies growing on the skeleton of dead ones of the same species. Tiny mushroom corals growing attached around the circumference of a larger dead one - these corals eventually detach and become free-living (unattached to a surface) when they grow bigger. Little plate-forming corals also appear to be growing on the skeleton of a much larger similar coral that is stone cold dead. How amazing!

The huge patch of Branching montipora corals (about 5m x 5m) is surprisingly tough. When we saw it in Jul 2024 at the height of mass coral bleaching and after the oil spill, it was indeed bleaching but only the tips seemed dead. And in Jun 2025, the patch had already totally recovered. It seems perfectly fine today!

Seagrasses seem to be still doing well. With growths at the mouth of the canal, and further out towards the elbow. Most exciting to know the team spotted an Alligator pipefish, which has a prehensile tail to cling onto seagrasses. We used to see a lot of these at Cyrene, then they disappeared when the seagrasses at Cyrene disappeared in 2010. Rui Quan spotted a Dog-faced watersnake! Also seen, an Estuarine moray eel, an octopus, colourful fishes, large cowries and sea anemones.

Special thanks to Lon, Rui Quan and Dylan for surveying this shore. On the same tide, Zen and I were helping NParks guide a special group of people at Kusu Island and a visit to the St John's Island Marine Lab.

Where did these corals come from?

The babies of these corals are from Singapore reefs! This chart shared in the Long-Term Plan Review shows coral larvae (babies) dispersal in our waters from mass coral spawning. This highlights the importance of protecting our 'mother reefs' so that they can continue to produce babies that settle all along our shoreline.

What is the fate of these shores?

These shores lie west of Tanah Merah Ferry Terminal and are slated for massive reclamation outlined recently in the Long-Term Plan Review.

This shore will also be affected by plans for Long Island.

Natural regeneration on Singapore's artificial shores and structures is already happening now. Unintentionally, with zero replanting. Can we plan coastal works to allow reefs, mangroves and seagrasses to naturally regenerate? Naturalise canals leading to the sea for a continuum of freshwater wetlands to mangroves? Imagine what's possible! Reefs and natural marine ecosystems at our doorstep, for all in the City to enjoy. More about this idea in my feedback to the Draft Master Plan 2013.

The Singapore Blue Plan 2018

Check out the Sinapore Blue Plan 2018 which outlines community recommendations for all these shores. DOWNLOAD the Plan, SUPPORT the Plan! More on the Singapore Blue Plan 2018 site.

See these and other East Coast shores for yourself!

It's fun and easy to explore these shores. More details in East Coast Park - Surprising intertidal adventures for the family.

This is what the corals looked like during a very low tide in May 2021
before the mass coral bleaching and oil spill impact in 2024.

Photos by the team

Lon Voon Ong

Rui Quan Oh

Dylan Seng

Chek Jawa (South) still alive

noreply@blogger.com (Ria Tan) — Tue, 19 May 2026 07:42:28 +0000

We do our annual low tide check up on the southern area of Chek Jawa near the Beacon, with kind permission and support from NParks.

We find healthy hard corals and soft corals, and sponges and sea fans. The seagrasses were particularly lush and green. I felt today that the southern sand bar had gotten wider, and that sand had built up on the landward side of the sand bar and in the area directly beneath the Beacon. The team make all the special finds: seahorse, stonefish, lots of Knobbly sea stars and more.

As usual, the rest of the team make all the special finds. A seahorse! A large stonefish! Also large colourful fishes and small stingrays. The seagrass meadows are a great nursery for juvenile fish including young barracuda. Little cardinalfish were seen swimming really close to a carpet anemone, a behaviour we have seen on other shores too.

Collage of photos by the team. Links to their albums below.

The team observed octopuses huge and small, one attempting to catch a pink-speckled shrimp-goby out of its burrow. Spearer mantis shrimps were also spotted. And many different kinds of sea anemones too. Thanks to Samuel for a track of our survey!

Collage of photos by the team. Links to their albums below.

The team as a whole saw 10 Knobbly sea stars, large ones as well as medium sized ones. They all looked healthy on the upper and underside. Their knobs were intact and they did not have injuries like the Knobblies we saw on Cyrene in Feb 2026. At Cyrene, many of the Knobblies had lost the top five knobs, with injuries that suggest the knobs fell off, rather than being bitten off by predators. We still don't know what happened at Cyrene.

Collage of photos by the team. Links to their albums below.

Recently, I sensed that we have been seeing much fewer Noble volutes that in the past. So we are now going to document every live Noble volute that we see. As a team, we saw onlyy 5 live volutes at Chek Jawa today. This large beautiful snail is restricted to our part of the world, in particular, Singapore and Peninsular Malaysia. We have a duty to protect them. Hopefully, our sightings will help encourage further study into whether the populations on our shores are okay.

Collage of photos by the team. Links to their albums below.

Today, I saw more than 20 small to medium-sized Boulder pore corals near the beacon. Most were nice and brown. This is similar to what I saw in May 2025 and May 2024. I saw one medium Boulder sandpaper coral - only the bottom half was alive. Along the way from House No. 1 jetty to the Beacon, I saw three small colonies of Flowery disk coral (Marcus saw one that was bleaching), and what looks like one dead one. There were also patches of Zebra coral. Marcus saw the small colony of Goniopora corals.

Today, I saw some small to medium sized flowery soft corals of various kinds. This is the first time I've see these since the explosion of Spiky flowery soft corals we saw in Jun 2023. I didn't see a lot of sea fans and only a few clumps of zoanthids. But all soft corals seemed alright.

Today, as at our May 2025 survey, there seems to be more larger healthier clumps of common sponges, compared to our survey in May 2024. But the variety of sponges remains low and I still didn't see any Barrel sponges (the last time I saw these here was in Jun 2023. Much of the coral rubble near the beacon was bare.

Seagrasses are still growing lush and fresh near the Beacon. Smooth ribbon seagrasses are doing very well growing in a large portion of the area between the boardwalk almost all the way to the beacon, as well as even on the sandbar. Spoon seagrasses (large leaves) grew thick and lush, as well as Needle seagrass with broad and narrow leaves. I saw some Fern seagrass. I saw two clumps of Tape seagrass with cropped leaves at the reef edge near the Beacon.

I felt today that the southern sand bar had gotten wider, and that sand had built up on the landward side of the sand bar and in the area directly beneath the Beacon. Will need to wait for Google Earth to update views for this year to see if there has been a change. The latest displayed currently is for 2024.

What is the fate of Chek Jawa?

Chek Jawa and Pulau Sekudu is slated for reclamation in the Long-Term Plan Review. The plan includes a road link (black line) from the mainland jumping off at Punggol, crossing to Pulau Ubin through Chek Jawa to jump off to Pulau Tekong before circling back to the mainland on Changi East. Proposed reclamation (in yellow) will bury Pasir Ris shores, Pulau Sekudu and Chek Jawa as well as a large stretches of Changi Beach.

The Singapore Blue Plan 2018

Among the Proposed Areas for Immediate Conservation Priority, the Singapore Blue Plan 2018 proposes that the intertidal and subtidal marine areas of Pulau Ubin to be designated Marine Reserve.

The proposed area would include Tanjung Chek Jawa, the largest known intertidal area in northern Singapore. Considered one of the richest in Singapore, Chek Jawa comprises many adjacent ecosystems: coastal hill forest, mangrove areas, rocky shores, seagrass meadows, coral communities, and sandy areas. Chek Jawa remains an icon of celebration and hope for many Singaporeans since its reprieve from reclamation in 2001.

DOWNLOAD the Plan, SUPPORT the Plan! More on the Singapore Blue Plan 2018 site.

Photos

High-res photos by me on wildsingapore flickr

Photos by others on this survey

Rui Quan Oh

Dylan Seng

Marcus Ng

Jason Ooi

Samuel Lau

Others on this survey: Muhd Nasry, Ian Mun.

'Garden of sea fans' at Changi growing lush

noreply@blogger.com (Ria Tan) — Mon, 18 May 2026 06:42:33 +0000

A tiny team survey this 'reefy' part of Changi. It was a relief to see the 'garden' of sea fans are still present here and seem more lush than on our last survey in Apr 2025.

Corals, anemones and other cnidarians seemed alright. And the team spot a variety of interesting marine life!

There were still many large healthy colonies of commonly seen sea fans like Candelabra sea fans and Skinny sea fans, Gnarled sea fans mostly near the boardwalk at Changi Beach Club. Including one nice Asparagus sea fan. We didn't see many near the big rock in the east where we start our survey. Compared to our survey in Apr 25 when most of those on the higher shore were dead, today, we didn't see any recently dead colonies. I saw one ovulid, a snail that eats the sea fan, as well as many small hermit crabs. There were a few small colonies of Pink flowery soft corals, as well as various hydroids commonly seen on Changi.

Sponges were more abundant under the boardwalk at Changi Beach Club. Not a huge variety, but well-formed clumps. Many larger clumps of Purple branching sponge, and small ball-shaped clumps. Melted chocolate sponge still dominated - most seemed nice and shiny. There were also many bivalve shells under the boardwalk, not sure what happened.

Today Zebra corals continue to dominate the rocky areas, covering almost every hard surface at the low water mark. I saw a few Neat hexa coral but didn't see any Flowery disk coral which we saw on our last survey in Apr 2025. They seemed mostly alright. Changi shores are usually rich in echinoderms. We saw several 8-armed Luidia sea stars, a large Garlic bread sea cucumber, some Orange sea cucumbers, Blue feather stars and many Sponge synaptid sea cucumber. Lester spotted a pair of Coastal horseshoe crabs.

Along the eastern shore towards the boardwalk at Changi Beach Club, a narrow but lush band of Spoon seagrass with large leaf blades is growing. At the western most lagoon, there remained patches of Spoon seagrass. There were many Haddon's carpet anemones, some flowery sea pens and common ceriathigs, but no sea fans. Button zoanthids used to form large 'fields' at the western most part of this shore are returning among the seagrasses. The area under the jetty was almost clear of encrustations, similar to the situation in Apr 2025 and Jul 2024.

The mangrove trees that have settled on the seawall there are growing well and are now quite tall. The small Johor fig treelet growing on a big rock nearby is still alright! There was a huge Johor fig in the lagoon that fell over in May 2021, possibly due to slope failure. By Apr 2025, there were few pieces of the dead tree left, today, even fewer. I had a closer look at the plants growing on the high shore and it seems there is Dugun (Heritiera littoralis) considered Endangered. It has fallen horizontally but was still alive. There was also a large shrub with bright white berries, I haven't figured out what it is.

There was large trash on the high shore. And I saw a large abandoned fish trap on the low shore. There was nothing in the trap. I made sure the 'door' to trap was open and facing up so if any animals were to be trapped they can escape.

Segments of the boardwalk over the water are often completely taken over by fishermen who lay fishing rods, traps and lines in dense numbers. This also happens on other boardwalks. Here's some letters from the public about the conflict between fishermen and others on the boardwalks at Berlayar Creek, Changi and Punggol. Read more about how coastal boardwalks can do more harm than good. Today, there was very little fishing activity on the boardwalk over the water. Perhaps the recent wet weather have discouraged this activity.

Yellow arrows point to lines in the water attached to traps.
These lines are placed on both sides of the boardwalk.

What is the fate of these shores?

There doesn't seem to be a change in 2013 plans to reclaim all of Pasir Ris, all of Changi from Carpark 1 to Carpark 7 and beyond, and reclaim Chek Jawa and Pulau Sekudu. These appear to remain in place in the Long-Term Plan Review. Including plans for a road link that starts at Pasir Ris, crosses to Pulau Ubin, right across Chek Jawa to Pulau Tekong, and back to the mainland at Changi East.

See Changi shores for yourself !

They are easy to get to, and enjoyed by many people. It remains rich in marine life. More details in "Changi - an easy intertidal adventure for the family". This reefy part of Changi needs a very low spring tide of zero to minus zero.

Photos by others on this survey

Rui Quan Oh

Also on this survey: Lester Tan.

Greater Sentosa Master Plan unveiled

noreply@blogger.com (Ria Tan) — Fri, 15 May 2026 22:56:48 +0000

Sentosa’s beaches would undergo "rejuvenation works", including strengthened coastal protection measures. The rejuvenation project will enter its first phase with the construction of a transport hub linking Sentosa and Pulau Brani in Keppel Harbour. The timing of this phase has yet to be decided.

Sentosa Development Corporation will soon launch design consultancy tenders for some of the key components of the master plan. Once completed, Greater Sentosa is projected to attract about double its current number of visitors, now about 17 million visitors a year.

These transport hub plans are very close to the last remaining wild reefs at Serapong shores - among the best near the mainland. Here's what the team saw on our survey of this shore last month.

Greater Sentosa upgrade to add new coastal trails, hotels and rejuvenated beachfronts
Sarah Stanley Straits Times May 08, 2026, 09:24 AM

SINGAPORE – Visitors to Greater Sentosa can expect more coastal and green walking trails, and a waterfront promenade as the precinct undergoes a major transformation over the next two decades.

The Greater Sentosa Master Plan – which is for Sentosa and Pulau Brani – will also see Sentosa’s beachfronts upgraded to accommodate more event spaces catering to a larger variety of activities.

These and other improvements were unveiled by Minister for Sustainability and the Environment and Minister-in-charge of Trade Relations Grace Fu on May 8 at the Tourism Industry Conference 2026 at Resorts World Convention Centre.

Envisaged as Singapore’s “island playground and sanctuary in a global city”, the 120ha Pulau Brani is expected to provide spaces for new hotels, attractions and experiences, while some of its natural elements will be preserved, said Ms Fu.

Once completed, Greater Sentosa is projected to attract about double its current number of visitors. Between April 2024 and March 2025, it received 16.9 million visitors.

Unveiled as the Sentosa-Brani Master Plan in 2019, the rejuvenation project will enter its first phase with the construction of a transport hub linking Sentosa and Pulau Brani in Keppel Harbour. The timing of this phase has yet to be decided.

“We will also add new connections between Greater Sentosa and the mainland, increasing transport capacity and enabling more convenient travel,” said Ms Fu. No further details were provided.

Pulau Brani is an industrial area occupied primarily by the Brani Port Terminal, whose operations are scheduled to relocate to Tuas Port by 2027. A people-mover system between Pulau Brani and mainland Singapore was under study, The Straits Times reported in November 2025.

In the coming months, the Sentosa Development Corporation (SDC) will launch design consultancy tenders for some of the key components of the master plan.

In early May, SDC published three tenders for multidisciplinary consultancy services on the government procurement portal GeBIZ. The tenders covered the island heart transport hub, the Sentosa people mover system, and the rejuvenation of Siloso and Palawan beaches.

Ms Fu said that exhibitions featuring plans for the Greater Sentosa precinct are being planned for VivoCity and heartland locations across Singapore. The exhibitions are scheduled to take place in July.

Singapore Tourism Board chief executive Melissa Ow said: “Greater Sentosa holds exciting potential for the development of world-class attractions, hotels, food and beverage, outdoor events and festivals in an island setting. The Brani West zone will be one of the largest sites for new attraction development.

“Sentosa is an endearing place to Singaporeans and travellers alike. The Greater Sentosa Master Plan will reinforce its appeal as a must-visit destination.”

While the decades-long master plan is slated to run through 2045, visitors can expect several new and refreshed attractions to open earlier.

These include a flight simulator experience by indoor skydiving brand AltitudeX and SkySlides, a day-to-night thrill ride set to debut in Sentosa.

The latest announcements build on updates given by Minister of State for Trade and Industry Alvin Tan during the debate on the Ministry of Trade and Industry’s budget on March 2.

Mr Tan said Sentosa’s beaches would undergo rejuvenation works, including strengthened coastal protection measures aimed at improving visitor experience, while safeguarding the coastline against rising sea levels.

Connectivity across the precinct is also set to improve. Mr Tan announced plans to replace the 2.1km Sentosa Express monorail, which links VivoCity shopping complex in HarbourFront to Sentosa via four stations, as part of broader transport upgrades.

He also announced plans for new landmarks such as the Imbiah Canopy, envisaged as a gateway connecting visitors to nature trails and heritage sites.

Speech by Minister-in-charge of Trade Relations Grace Fu at Tourism Industry Conference 2026
MTI website 8 May 2026

1. Good morning. It is my great pleasure to see all of you here at the Tourism Industry Conference 2026.

2. Let me begin by congratulating the industry and STB on achieving a record year of tourism receipts in 2025. We welcomed 16.9 million international visitors who contributed $32.8 billion in tourism receipts.

3. Mainland China, Indonesia and Australia were our top tourism receipts markets, while long-haul markets such as Germany, the UK and the USA recorded double digit year-on-year growth.

4. These results were driven by a strong lineup of events and experiences throughout 2025. We hosted the World Aquatics Championships, the first in Southeast Asia, opened the IMBA Theatre at Gardens by the Bay.

5. On MICE, we have maintained our position as Asia Pacific’s Top Meeting City for 22 consecutive years, based on rankings from the International Congress and Convention Association (ICCA).

6. While we continue hosting international events such as the Safety and Security Asia tradeshow, we are also nurturing homegrown MICE events through BEInspiredSG, an incubator programme launched by STB and the Singapore Association of Convention and Exhibition Organisers and Suppliers (SACEOS). This has given rise to promising new events, such as Sgcarmart’s “Beyond Motion” future mobility event.

7. Beyond our shores, the Singapore Pavilion at the Osaka World Expo drew more than 2 million visitors and showcased over 50 local brands and talents to the world.

8. These results affirm our standing as a vibrant and exciting destination on the world stage, providing us with a strong foundation as we look ahead.

TDF5 and T2040

9. Our strong performance in 2025 is encouraging, but we cannot afford to be complacent. There are challenges on the horizon, given the Middle East energy crisis and its knock-on impact on consumer spending. In 2024, we announced that the Government had injected over $300 million into the Tourism Development Fund. To further support our industry, I am pleased to announce that the Government will inject fresh funds of $740 million over the next five years.

10. This funding will support our ambitions under Tourism 2040, charting the next chapter of growth and ensuring that Singapore remains a compelling destination.

11. We aim to elevate Singapore’s position across three areas:

a) A global hub for people, capital and trade;

b) A world-class city and an endearing home; and

c) A home for resilient businesses with strong human capital.

Strengthening Singapore’s position as a vital and trusted hub

12. To fortify Singapore’s position as a vital global hub, we must expand and renew our capacity and connectivity.

13. To enhance maritime connectivity, STB and the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore have been jointly studying the development of a new integrated cruise and ferry infrastructure.

a) We are assessing the feasibility of locating the Integrated Cruise and Ferry Terminal at Straits View, adjacent to the Marina Bay Cruise Centre Singapore (MBCCS), as part of the larger Greater Southern Waterfront development.

b) The new terminal could support three cruise berths and up to ten ferry berths, with a passenger capacity approximately that is 1.5 times the existing MBCCS, and twice that of the existing HarbourFront Passenger Terminal respectively. This represents not only a significant increase in international cruise capacity, but also greater regional connectivity.

14. On MICE capacity, I announced last year that we were studying the development of a new MICE hub in the downtown area. The industry has shared with us that a central location, transport accessibility, and proximity to lifestyle experiences are critical success factors for the hub.

a) I am pleased to announce that we have identified the Straits View area, near Marina Bay, as the potential location for the Downtown MICE Hub.

b) The MICE Hub is envisioned as an integrated development, offering MICE facilities, accommodation, dining and retail, entertainment, and attractions. Its proximity to the potential new cruise terminal will also create exciting new possibilities.

c) The development will complement other MICE venues in the city, such as:

i. Raffles City, Suntec City, and Marina Bay Sands,

ii. all within a 3km radius,

iii. creating a vibrant MICE cluster that blends work and play, encouraging more ‘B-leisure’ travellers to extend their stay.

d) The MICE Hub will allow us to host more and bigger events downtown, and to run complementary ones concurrently at other city centre venues. Delegates can then enjoy the wide variety of leisure offerings, accessible via three MRT lines at Marina Bay station, including the upcoming Therme Singapore and Wetlands by the Bay expansion.

e) Let me share this exciting vision with a video.

f) Are you excited about it? I am. But it is not complete. We are still waiting for some of your ideas to beef up this video. I am confident that this world-class venue will strengthen our position as a leading MICE destination and help us realise our ambition to triple MICE Tourism Receipts by 2040.

15. Beyond infrastructure, our MICE portfolio will grow through strategic industry partnerships:

a) STB has established a 2-year partnership with the Academy of Medicine Singapore, creating opportunities to host more best-in-class conferences that serve the medical community’s professional development, reinforcing our position as a global medical events hub.

b) I am also pleased to announce that 22 hotels have come together to launch the Singapore Hotels Incentives for Business Events (SHINE) initiative. Covering 25% of Singapore’s hotel room stock, SHINE offers attractive accommodation packages to meeting organisers, enhancing our competitiveness for larger MICE bids.

16. We continue to attract a strong pipeline of MICE events, including the inaugural Global Connect Singapore, the first overseas edition of China’s premier conference 白鲸出海.

17. We will host the ASEAN Tourism Forum (ATF) in January 2027 to promote tourism growth in ASEAN and facilitate conversations on regional tourism topics, such as cruise tourism, sustainable tourism and digitalisation. As Chairman of ASEAN in 2027, Singapore will host over 250 ASEAN meetings of varying scales.

Building a World-Class City and Endearing Home

18. Second, building a world-class city and endearing home. We must continue to rejuvenate our cityscape with refreshed products and experiences that reflect Singapore’s unique character.

19. Let me highlight some key developments in our iconic tourism precincts: Sentosa, Mandai and Orchard Road.

20. The Greater Sentosa Master Plan – comprising Sentosa and Pulau Brani – will be developed over the next two decades into a world-class tourism destination. Envisioned as Singapore’s 'Island Playground and Sanctuary in a Global City’, Pulau Brani, spanning 120 hectares, is expected to unlock spaces for new hotels, attractions and experiences, while preserving the island’s natural elements. Upon completion, Greater Sentosa is projected to attract twice as many visitors than it does today. Again, let us have a look at the video.

21. Thank you, Sentosa. Our well-loved beachfronts will be rejuvenated, making way for more event spaces that cater to a variety of activities. We expect to increase the number of green walking trails, coastal trails and waterfront promenade, benefitting both tourists and locals alike.

22. We will also add new connections between Greater Sentosa and the mainland, increasing transport capacity and enabling more convenient travel.

23. We will hold exhibitions to showcase the possibilities in the Greater Sentosa precinct, at VivoCity and other locations in the heartlands. I invite our partners to join us in reimagining the future of tourism, leisure and recreation in Greater Sentosa.

24. Up north, we will be celebrating the completion of the Mandai Wildlife Reserve with the opening of Phase 2 of Asia’s first adventure-based zoological park, Rainforest Wild Adventure East, on 29 May.

25. In the heart of the city, the Orchard Road Rejuvenation Plan is well underway. We envision Orchard Road to be an iconic lifestyle destination for all – enlivened by vibrant activations, concepts and experiences set within a city garden.

a) To create differentiated experiences and drive visitorship, STB will launch the Orchard Road Rejuvenation Initiative. This supports enhancements to building facades, new experiential concepts and artwork installations, and night-time programming to bring vibrancy to the area and redefine visitors’ experiences. ION Orchard’s 3D Grand Facade Screen, which features a reinterpretation of familiar landmarks, offers a taste of what is possible.

b) I encourage Orchard Road stakeholders to come forward with bold and innovative proposals.

c) We will introduce ready-to-use pop-up spaces featuring a rotation of quality brands along the Orchard Road pedestrian mall. New-to-market brands, novel concepts, and promising local brands can plug and play through this cost-effective platform to test the market or build their brand presence on Orchard Road.

d) STB will be calling a tender for the design, build and management of these pop-up spaces.

e) Lastly, art and culture will take centre stage within Tanglin, anchored by the upcoming redevelopment of Tanglin Shopping Centre into a mixed-use development comprising retail, office, wellness and cultural uses.

26. Turning to events, we continue to make great strides in global entertainment, affirming Singapore as a destination for exciting events. In 2027, Singapore will host D23 Asia: The Ultimate Disney Fan Event, in partnership with The Walt Disney Company – marking the first time this flagship event comes to Southeast Asia.

27. Disney fans can look forward to exclusive first access to the latest in Disney storytelling, creativity, and innovation, as well as appearances of top stars and storytellers from Hollywood and around the world, uniting global communities through shared fandom, retail, and immersive experiences.

Developing Strong Businesses and Investing in Human Capital

28. Third, developing strong businesses and investing in human capital, making Singapore a resilient business hub for tourism. We remain committed to supporting businesses’ growth and investments in digital transformation and capability development.

29. To this end, STB has worked with IMDA over the past year to develop and refresh the Industry Digital Plans for the Travel Agents, MICE and Hotel industries. These plans guide businesses on digitalisation and technology solutions that can enhance the visitor experience and improve the workforce productivity. In the second half of this year, STB will be able to provide more streamlined funding support to tourism stakeholders for some of these pre-approved solutions, under Enterprise Singapore’s EDGE grant.

30. For instance, hotels will be able to adopt solutions such as a digital concierge that automates routine operations, improving both service efficiency and the guest experience.

31. STB will also be leading a review of the Attractions industry technology roadmap by early 2027.

32. To continue building a future-ready tourism workforce,

a) The Training Industry Professionals in Tourism Scheme (TIP-iT) has been broadened to fund stretch job assignments. This encourages companies to develop in-house leadership programmes customised to their needs – for building organisational resilience to navigate uncertain times.

b) To better support our companies, TIP-iT will also fund customised in-house skills training for rank-and-file workers, including Work Permit Holders, helping them to better meet the rising expectations of today’s visitors.

Middle East Crisis and Support Measures

33. While geopolitical events have resulted in supply chain disruptions and rising fuel costs, challenges also present opportunities for us to sharpen our value proposition and competitiveness. STB will work closely with the industry to emerge stronger from these headwinds.

34. To sustain visitor demand in this challenging environment,

a) STB is expanding over 20 key trade partnerships across our top 10 source markets to capture greater consideration from potential visitors and accelerate bookings. This will see more than $20 million in total investments from STB and in-market partners.

b) STB is also supporting the Association of Singapore Attractions (ASA) in launching targeted marketing campaigns to drive visitorship to our attractions.

35. The Tourism Development Fund, that I spoke about earlier, will support initiatives to help our industry capture opportunities and navigate near-term challenges.

a) We are allocating $5 million to our Business Events in Singapore (BEiS) Grant to expand support for businesses undertaking marketing activities aimed at building attendance.

b) Second, we are introducing a new $5 million Market Access Fund, to help businesses grow their presence in new markets, by reducing the financial risks of expansion.

36. Even as we drive demand and diversify source markets, our products must remain compelling.

a) We will extend the Hotel Rejuvenation Fund by one year. Since its launch last year, 13 hotels have embarked on rejuvenation efforts including solutions that improve energy efficiency and enhance operational efficiency. One example is PARKROYAL COLLECTION Pickering, which has integrated AI solutions – including an AI-powered inventory management system with automated guided vehicles – a first for a hotel in Singapore, increasing its storage capacity by over 200%.

b) We have also broadened the scope of STB’s Kickstart Fund. In addition to new and innovative event pilots, the fund will now support up to $1 million for new product pilots – giving businesses more opportunities to innovate and bring to life unique concepts with strong tourism appeal for high value visitors.

Conclusion

37. As I conclude, let me reaffirm the importance of tourism in contributing to Singapore’s global presence. After many years of toiling, we are now a premier global destination, consistently ranked among the world’s best for our unique blend of futuristic innovation and multicultural heritage. Along with our world class airline and airport, our hospitality industry has been the gateway to the culture and soul of Singapore. We are a top 10 city destination in the world, and many of our attractions like our Gardens by the Bay was ranked highly. And Gardens by the Bay specifically was ranked third-best attraction in the world. Congratulations Gardens by the Bay! Collectively, the industry, hotels and hospitality, MICE, attractions, and all of you in this room, has put Singapore on the world’s podium. And we are grateful for your good work, and thank you very much for supporting this industry.

38. The road ahead will not be without challenges, but I am confident that through the collective efforts of the government, industry and community, we will continue discovering fresh ways to tell the Singapore story together. We have been through hard times and we will get through this again, emerging better and stronger.

39. I look forward to journeying with you in the next chapter of tourism in Singapore. Let’s go ahead towards Tourism 2040. Thank you very much.

Related post
Sentosa beach rejuvenation and strengthened coastal protection 3 Mar 2026

Beting Bemban Besar in the face of Sudong reclamation

noreply@blogger.com (Ria Tan) — Thu, 07 May 2026 22:41:00 +0000

The tiny team surveys on a short tide window this humungous submerged reef near the ongoing reclamation at Pulau Sudong. Water remains clear and the shore was alive.

It was a relief to see the seagrass continuing to recover, with signs of dugong feeding trails! Corals seem okay and the rest of the team make all the special finds: sharks, giant clams, fields of branching corals and other colourful marine life.

Here is a little video clip of some of the corals I saw, including a Giant carpet anemone with super tiny 'Nemo' in it. We seem to be seeing a lot of super tiny 'Nemo's on recent trips. Perhaps a mass recruitment has occured.

As usual, the rest of the team make all the special finds! Richard saw a peaceful shark patrolling the reef edge. The most beautiful jade green Fluted giant clam was found, as well as a Burrowing giant clam. Many Red feather stars were seen. As well as the usual colourful crabs, slugs and interesting reef life.

Collage of photos by the team. Links to their albums below.

I have not seen a lot of hard corals on this shore since I started surveying. I walked the eastern shore where there were mostly small boulder shaped corals of the commonly encountered variety. The team walked the western shore and saw fields of Branching montipora and large colonies on the reef edge. They also saw mushroom corals and other less commonly encountered kinds of corals.

Collage of photos by the team. Links to their albums below.

As usual, there were many medium-sized colonies of Leathery soft coral, with a few large colonies. I saw a few Giant carpet anemones, and some Asparagus flowery soft corals and Sea mat zoanthids. None were bleaching.

I saw many dugong feeding trails at the north-east, some were quite faint where the seagrass cover was sparse. On our last survey in Oct 2025, I only saw a few near our landing point on the sandbar at southern portion of the reef flat. These trails are formed when dugongs chomp up seagrasses including their roots, leaving a shallow meandering furrow of about equal width and depth.

The seagrasses continue to do well! We first observed seagrass recovery on our Jul 2025 survey and today those I saw on the eastern shore of the reef flat seem to be doing well. Sprinkles of seagrasses evenly covered most of the area with scattered patches of denser growth. Most seem fresh and green. Besides the common seagrasses, I saw Spoon seagrass with large leaves and also Noodle seagrass. I saw some clumps of Tape seagrass, many of them had longish leaves (30cm).

The rest of the team also shared glimpses of good seagrass coverage and growths on the western side of this shore.

Collage of photos by the team. Links to their albums below.

The extent and intensity of reclamation today was much higher than what we saw on our last survey of Beting Bemban Besar in Oct 2025. Rui Quan got a shot of the large vessel shooting out sand to build yet another mountain of sand. But the water at Beting Bemban Besar was clear, similar to what we saw at our last survey at Terumbu Bemban (which is closer to the work site) on Apr 2026. I saw one propped up pole on Beting Bemban Besar. We saw many more similar poles on our last survey at Terumbu Bemban last month and in Aug 2025. Hopefully, these are sites where they monitor the impact of works on nearby submerged reefs?

From Port Marine Notice No. 55 of 2026 "Reclamation at Pulau Sudong" with effect from 08 Apr 2026 to 07 Oct 2026. The works involve the installation of navigational buoys, removal of metallic debris, demolition of abandoned jetty, dredging works, installation of marine staging platforms for soil instrumentation, infilling works, marine vibrocompaction, stone revetment works, and jetty construction to facilitate the reclamation and jetty construction works at Pulau Sudong.

Here is the location of Beting Bemban Besar and other nearby shores in relation to the Sudong reclamation.

What is the fate of Beting Bemban Besar?

Large areas nearby are also slated for massive reclamation outlined recently in the Long-Term Plan Review.

The Blue Plan highlights that Pulau Semakau and its associated patch reefs comprise many ecosystems: coral reefs, mangrove areas, intertidal sandflats, seagrass meadows, and coral reefs. The subtidal area of Pulau Jong is larger than the terrestrial area. Pulau Hantu is a popular dive site has seen increasing interest in the past decade due to biodiversity awareness. If protection is accorded to these three islands, zonation plans for use can be implemented to manage tourism and human impacts.

DOWNLOAD the Plan, SUPPORT the Plan! More on the Singapore Blue Plan 2018 site.

Photos by others on this survey

Richard Kuah

Tommy Tan

Rui Quan Oh

Terumbu Pempang Tengah in the face of Sudong reclamation

noreply@blogger.com (Ria Tan) — Sun, 03 May 2026 23:33:00 +0000

The team survey on a short tide window this submerged reef near the ongoing reclamation at Pulau Sudong.

Leathery soft corals continue to dominate some parts of this shore! We had a glimpse of a large Yellow lipped sea krait, possibly a Nurse shark, and a sea turtle. Also lots of tiny 'Nemos', a huge cushion star. The Clam team found 3 clams!

As usual, the rest of the team make all the special finds! As we landed, a Yellow-lipped sea krait zoomed by. Tommy managed a record shot of this handsome large snake. We used to see them regularly then they disappeared for many years. I'm glad we are encountering them more regularly now. Tommy also found a Cone snail, while Rui Quan spotted the well camouflaged large Cushion star, and Richard got a photo of the usually very zoomy Smasher mantis shrimp. Lester saw a Noble volute, which I am now concerned about as we don't seem to see them as often as before. Everyone also saw many kinds of colourful slugs and flatworms, and slug egg ribbons.

Collage of photos by the team. Links to their albums below.

The reef has fascinating relationships with different species living together. Lester got this awesome photo of a shrimp goby and its partner snapping shrimp. These two very different kinds of animals live together in harmony - the fish keeping a look out for danger, while the shrimp digs out and maintains their shared burrow. Another fascinating relationship is between the anemone fish and anemone - that would otherwise eat fishes. Today, we saw many tiny Clown anemonefishes in Giant carpet anemones. Richard saw both a tiny Clown anemonefish and a Peacock tail anemoneshrimp in a Magnificent anemone.

Collage of photos by the team. Links to their albums below.

The Clam Team and survey team also found 3 Giant clams! Two large Fluted giant clams and one Burrowing giant clam.

Collage of photos by the team. Links to their albums below.

This shore has always had many large colonies of leathery soft corals of various kinds. They seemed to have fully recovered from the Jun 2024 mass coral bleaching, when about 50% were showing signs of stress (pale patches, more yellow than usual), with about 10% outright bleaching. Today, there were only healthy leathery soft corals, which blend in with the coral rubble so they are less obvious than bleaching or stressed colonies.

Similar to our survey in May 2025, were still many large colonies of various kinds covering a large area on the south-west corner of the Terumbu. I didn't see any that were bleaching.

We have never seen a lot of hard corals on this shore since we started surveying, even on the reef edge. Some large colonies dot the shore. Most are boulder shaped with a limited variety of commonly seen corals. At the reef edge near our landing point, I did see some mushroom corals. As on our May 2025 survey, the corals seemed to be doing well, I didn't see any that were bleaching though some were pinkish (a sign of stress). I saw a few small clumps of Branching montipora corals, but no 'fields'.

Seagrasses seem to be continuing to recover. The sandy area in the middle of the Terumbu had good coverage of Spoon seagrass with small leaves, but heavily covered in epiphytes. Towards the reef edge in sandy areas among the rocks and rubble, there were Spoon seagrass with large leaves, sprinkles of Sickle seagrass. And, most encouragingly, many clumps of Tape seagrass with longish leaves (about 30cm). This situation seems similar to what I saw in May 2025 and May 2022. It had worsened a little on our surveys in 2023 and 2024.

Today, I saw one flattened fish trap and remains of 2 other broken fish traps. Zen saw one broken trap too. On our last survey in May 2025, an active trap was seen with many fishes.

Here is the location of Terumbu Pempang Tengah and other nearby shores in relation to the Sudong reclamation.

From Terumbu Pempang Tengah, the Sudong reclamation site looks humungous. Long with enormous piles of sand that look even taller than when we saw it in mid-April. Close up photo by Zen Xuan He.

This shore is also close to Pulau Bukom and Jurong Island. Petrochemical plants on Pulau Bukom still operating and producing emissions as usual. Despite these, it remains very much alive.

What is the fate of Terumbu Pempang Tengah

Pulau Hantu and all the terumbus west of it are slated for massive reclamation outlined recently in the Long-Term Plan Review. Singapore's submerged reefs are often out of sight under the high tide and thus forgotten. Let's hope these terumbu stay safe until we can visit again.

The Blue Plan highlights that Pulau Semakau and its associated patch reefs comprise many ecosystems: coral reefs, mangrove areas, intertidal sandflats, seagrass meadows, and coral reefs. The subtidal area of Pulau Jong is larger than the terrestrial area. Pulau Hantu is a popular dive site has seen increasing interest in the past decade due to biodiversity awareness. If protection is accorded to these three islands, zonation plans for use can be implemented to manage tourism and human impacts.

DOWNLOAD the Plan, SUPPORT the Plan! More on the Singapore Blue Plan 2018 site.

Others on this survey

Richard Kuah

Zen Xuan He

Rui Quan Oh

Lester Tan

Tommy Tan

Others on the survey: Teresa and Samuel from the Clam Team, Foo Meijuan.

Other intertidal surveys: Apr 2026

noreply@blogger.com (Ria Tan) — Fri, 01 May 2026 22:57:00 +0000

Thanks to team members for checking up on other shores in April. Richard Kuah checked out Coney Island and saw beautiful jellyfishes, many carpet anemones, some with small cardinal fishes swimming very close to them - using the anemones for protection? And many other interesting marine life. Rui Quan Oh and friends checked out Sentosa and saw healthy seagrasses, many small creatures including some pretty fish. Marcus Ng checked out Changi Point and shared beautiful photos of octopuses (so glad they are back), many kinds of sea stars and other echinoderms, colourful flatworms and more. See their full albums below.

Links to their albums below.

Rui Quan Oh and friends also checked out Pasir Ris mangroves and Pandan mangroves. So lovely to see snakes, insects, colourful and special crabs. As well as the Mangrove snake-eel and other fishes. Rui Quan also found four pipefishes under a rock! See his albums below.

Links to their albums below.

Richard Kuah surveyed Coney Island on 22 Apr.

Rui Quan Oh and friends surveyed Sentosa on 23 Apr 2026.

Marcus Ng checked out Changi point

Rui Quan Oh explored Pasir Ris mangroves on 2 Apr and 30 Apr.

Rui Quan Oh explored Pandan mangroves 25 Apr and 28 Mar

Jianlin Liu checked out Changi in Apr 2026

Revamp of Giant clam conservation in Singapore and the region

noreply@blogger.com (Ria Tan) — Mon, 27 Apr 2026 01:37:00 +0000

Dr Neo Mei Lin hopes to have long-term conservation funding in Singapore, and plans to revamp giant clam conservation projects here and in the region.

Giant clam on P. Tekukor with Sentosa Cove in the background.

The two giant clam species found in Singapore are threatened not by poaching but by habitat degradation and sediments on reefs. They are also widely spread across the reefs, limiting reproduction. “The numbers are so low that they’re not able to reproduce with each other,” noted Dr Neo.

In 2011 to 2018, Singapore bred giant clams for repopulating. But in one experiment, which involved putting 144 clams into the sea, only 29.9 per cent of them survived after 145 days. The aim is to ensure that the restocked clams can spawn and have their new larvae settle on the reefs and grow, forming the next generation.

Saving giant clams in South-east Asia: Halt poaching, improve restoration, raise funds
Shabana Begum Straits Times Published Apr 27, 2026, 05:00 AM

SINGAPORE - Giant clams are reef builders, as well as key sources of food and shelter for reef animals. Even their faeces have been found to be highly nutritious for fish. Some giant clams can live beyond 100 years.

But there are fewer and fewer of them in South-east Asia, which is home to eight out of the world’s 12 giant clam species.

Their long-term existence hinges on strongly enforcing anti-poaching laws and improving the survival of offspring. Scientists also need sufficient funding to sustain conservation programmes, said 20 South-east Asian experts of the flamboyant bivalves.

These were the key conclusions of a policy paper published on April 6 to improve the conservation of the threatened reef animals in the region.

While international regulations and local laws prohibit the poaching of the threatened giant clams, overfishing and the illegal trade persist in the region, with some local communities also claiming them for food and ornaments.

In January, more than 150 giant clam shells, weighing around 10,000kg, were seized at the El Nido coastal municipality in the Philippines’ Palawan archipelago.

“Marine protected areas in South-east Asia can be quite big. To police and enforce the entire area can be difficult. (Rangers) could be busy at one spot, exposing the other side to poachers,” said giant clam expert Neo Mei Lin from NUS’ Tropical Marine Science Institute, who led the report, published in the scientific journal Aquatic Conservation: Marine And Freshwater Ecosystems.

The two remaining giant clam species found in Singapore – the critically endangered fluted giant clam and endangered boring giant clam – are threatened not by poaching but by the degradation of habitats and sediments on reefs due to years of coastal development.

Found mainly in the reefs of the Southern Islands, the vibrant clams are few and far between. Based on surveys over the years, there were around 100 fluted giant clams and fewer than 30 boring giant clams as at 2024. They are also widely spread across the reefs, limiting reproduction.

“The numbers are so low that they’re not able to reproduce with each other,” noted Dr Neo.

To prevent these “jades of the sea” from vanishing, scientists in the region like Dr Neo have taken to breeding and culturing giant clams in the lab, before restocking them in reefs.

However, most restocking projects in South-east Asia have shown mixed results, stated the paper, citing challenges like low juvenile survival rates, high mortalities of restocked clams, poaching and high costs of production.

Between 2011 and 2018, Singapore bred giant clams for repopulating. But in one experiment, which involved putting 144 clams into the sea, only 29.9 per cent of them survived after 145 days.

The aim is to ensure that the restocked clams can spawn and have their new larvae settle on the reefs and grow, forming the next generation.

“Having visited colleagues around South-east Asia, we realised that we have a good amount of technical expertise in growing them,” said Dr Neo. “However, we still lack scientifically informed programmes for restocking. Nobody knows how many giant clams we need to put out for the population to become self-sustaining... Many of us are not seeing an increase in the population.”

Although the Philippines’ restocking programme started 40 years ago, it is only recently that the reared clams are starting to successfully spawn a new generation, she noted.

The longevity of conservation programmes also rests on the amount of funding they can secure.

“(It is) unfortunately not attractive to funders to purely invest in a programme that is just focused on culturing giant clams to put them back into the reefs,” said Dr Neo.

Most conservationists are reliant on funding from the governments.

Mr Alvin Chelliah, an author of the report and marine scientist at Reef Check Malaysia, said: “Many projects fail because of short-term funding. Malaysia could prioritise long-term financing models, perhaps linking marine farming and ecotourism revenues to conservation funds.”

One of the longest giant clam conservation projects in the Indo-Pacific was funded by the Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research. For a 25-year period from the 1980s, the Australian government invested A$4 million (S$3.65 million) throughout the region, including the Philippines, to improve knowledge and conservation of the various species.

On April 20, the University of the Philippines’ Bolinao Marine Laboratory restarted its adopt-a-clam programme to finance the rearing of clams at its ocean nursery.

Dr Neo hopes to have a similar conservation funding programme in Singapore, and has plans to revamp giant clam conservation projects here and in the region, following the policy paper.

She is bringing in the global authority on threatened wildlife, the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), to soon conduct a species conservation planning exercise focused on South-east Asia. As part of this exercise, a population viability analysis – which evaluates the threats faced by giant clam populations, their risks of extinction and their chances for recovery – will be carried out. The new insights could seed improved conservation projects, tailored for each country.

Dr Neo is looking to start with the critically endangered true giant clam (Tridacna gigas). While it is the largest species that can grow over 1m in length and weigh over 200kg, it is also the most threatened of all giant clam species.

It has been declared extinct in Singapore. Elsewhere in the region, one needs to survey a vast habitat 20 to 30 times to spot a true giant clam, she said.

She hopes to start work with the IUCN in the next couple of years.

The report highlighted the potential of involving local communities in enforcement against poaching. When there are indigenous traditions to preserve or tangible benefits to be reaped, such as ecotourism dollars and improved livelihoods, coastal communities in South-east Asia have shown they are willing to take charge of protecting giant clams.

Around 2019, the villagers of Air Batang on Tioman Island decided to take action against the islanders of neighbouring villages who were persistently poaching giant clams in their waters for food during the monsoon season.

Mr Chelliah said the locals rebranded their hometown as a giant clam tourist attraction, and “began engaging with the poachers directly, requesting them to leave the area, and also started reporting incidents to local park authorities to help protect their resources”.

6-year study of South-west coastal protect to start

noreply@blogger.com (Ria Tan) — Mon, 27 Apr 2026 01:25:00 +0000

The 116km coastline study from Tuas to Pasir Panjang will be the largest coastal study to date. It is expected to take six years to develop solutions to prevent coastal and inland floods due to rising seas. The Pasir Panjang Terminal area, to be vacated by the 2040s, may be redeveloped, with potential reclamation and works on the surrounding water body.

Six-year study to protect Singapore’s south-west coast from rising seas to start in 2026
Shabana Begum Straits Times Published Apr 27, 2026, 05:00 AM

SINGAPORE – A study to protect the industry-heavy south-west of Singapore from sea-level rise is expected to start later in 2026, with consultants set to recommend if coastal barriers can be built between the mainland and Jurong Island.

The 116km coastline study from Tuas to Pasir Panjang will be national water agency PUB’s largest coastal study to date. It is expected to take six years to develop solutions to prevent coastal and inland floods, said Mr Ridzuan Ismail, director of PUB’s flood resilience planning department.

In a tender by the national water agency published in end-March, it was revealed that the Pasir Panjang Terminal area, to be vacated by the 2040s, may be redeveloped, with potential reclamation and works on the surrounding water body.

The appointed consultant will have to help PUB decide between large-scale, government-owned shields that can protect most of the coastline and localised measures managed by each coastal land owner.

Large-scale measures include coastal barriers – arm-like gates or dams designed to keep out the rising seas and storm surges, which are higher-than-usual tides caused by storms brewing offshore.

The south-west is the heart of Singapore’s industrial and shipping sector, home to Tuas Port, Jurong Industrial Estate, Jurong Fishery Port and recreation spots like West Coast Park.

Singapore’s shipping and port operations are also set to be consolidated in Tuas Port in the coming decades.

Singapore’s average sea level is projected to rise by up to 1.15m by 2100. If high tides and extreme events like storm surges occur, sea levels could rise by 5m.

Assistant Professor Yuzhu Pearl Li, chair of the climate change technical committee at the Institution of Engineers, Singapore, noted that the south-west coast is more complex than a typical urban shoreline. It combines major port activity, waterfront industries, critical infrastructure, coastal drains and waterways like the Pandan and Jurong rivers that open to the sea.

“Its risks are therefore not just from sea-level rise alone, but from the interaction of storm tide, rainfall, inland drainage backflow, ship wakes, wind waves and maritime operations,” she noted. Ship wakes refer to the V-shaped trail of waves and turbulent water that tails behind a moving vessel. Such waves have contributed to the erosion of Pulau Ubin’s northern coastline.

The consultant has to assess ship wakes and determine the combined wave effects to support the engineering design of the proposed coastal protection measures, stated the tender documents on government procurement portal GeBIZ.

PUB divides Singapore’s coastline into eight segments to study them more closely and develop tailored solutions. The stretch from Lim Chu Kang to Woodlands and Jurong Island are currently being studied, while the study for Sentosa will start later in 2026. The studies for the south-eastern coast and the stretch between Tuas Checkpoint and Lim Chu Kang were completed in 2025.

The south-eastern coast stretches from Pasir Panjang Ferry Terminal to Changi, and solutions recommended include installing arm-like coastal barriers, raising shoreline slopes and constructing bunds on Changi Beach.

Options on the table

PUB recently completed a three-year study in March to assess the feasibility of installing coastal barriers or barrages on both sides of Jurong Island, connecting them to the mainland. This is part of the large-scale, centralised option that the consultant has to assess.

The feasibility study looked at two types of coastal barriers – arm-like storm surge barriers that remain open under normal conditions and close during storm surge events, and barrages or dam-like structures that generally remain closed but include systems that allow ships to pass through.

The storm surge barriers are similar to the ones proposed to protect the Greater Southern Waterfront area on both sides of Sentosa.

“Given the proximity of Jurong Island to the south-west coast, a centralised scheme will achieve coastal protection for the mainland and part of Jurong Island,” said Mr Ridzuan.

If this solution is eventually recommended, the design and locations of the coastal barrier will be finalised during the later engineering stage, he added.

Following up on the feasibility study, the consultant should recommend the location for the barriers while considering maritime traffic, navigational requirements and constraints such as submarine cables.

Owners of coastal land protected by the coastal barriers will generally not need to implement their own measures such as putting up seawalls or raising shoreline slopes.

The Government will own, implement and operate the coastal barriers, said Mr Ridzuan.

However, not all parts of the south-west coast and Jurong Island can be covered by such large-scale solutions. Those stretches still exposed to the sea will need to be protected by other measures like seawalls, implemented and paid for by individual land owners, with support from the Government.

In March, a Bill was passed in Parliament requiring government agencies and private companies that occupy land along Singapore’s shorelines to shield their coastal areas from rising seas, or face a fine and jail term. All coastal land owners will be eligible for a grant to help defray the costs of building their coastal measures.

Thirty per cent of Singapore’s coastline is owned by the private sector, and most of their land is found in the south-west and northern areas.

Aside from coastal barriers, the other option for the south-west coastline is to have land owners or long-term lessees put up their own measures along or behind the coastline, stated the tender documents.

Measures could include a mix of breakwaters, raised platforms, tidal gates, upgrades to pumps, flood walls, and local protection for specific assets or plots, said Prof Li.

Mr Ridzuan added: “PUB will work closely with the relevant agencies on the adaptation measures, considering companies’ business needs and the redevelopment of Pasir Panjang Terminal.”

Consultancy firms have until May 14 to apply for the tender.
The future of Pasir Panjang Terminal

The tender documents also stated that the Pasir Panjang Terminal area could be redeveloped as a “new predominantly residential neighbourhood complemented with commercial, recreational and other supporting amenities”.

“Details of the redevelopment, which may involve reclamation and development of the surrounding water body, will be provided by (PUB) after commencement of the study,” the documents said.

The consultant is tasked to assess and develop different coastal protection options, such as raising the platform level, for the long-term protection of the redeveloped Pasir Panjang Terminal area, “including any potential reclamation plan and surrounding water body” after redevelopment.

This redevelopment could be part of the transformation of the terminal for the future Greater Southern Waterfront precinct, which will stretch from Pasir Panjang to Marina East.

Responding to queries, the Urban Redevelopment Authority told ST that as part of longer-term plans for the Greater Southern Waterfront, “there is potential for the area currently occupied by Pasir Panjang Terminal to be transformed for new uses such as a vibrant waterfront neighbourhood with supporting amenities, after the port relocates to Tuas”.

The plans for the area are still under study, it added.

If land is reclaimed in the area, it would join two other reclamation projects in the southern coastline. One major project is Long Island, which involves the creation of about 800ha of new land to protect the low-lying East Coast area from rising sea levels.

Separately, about 213ha of land, or around half the size of Marina Bay, is expected to be reclaimed at the Keppel and Tanjong Pagar terminals for the future precinct after they relocate to Tuas around 2027.

Works could be expected in the water body next to the Pasir Panjang Terminal, near where the eastern coastal barrier could be deployed.

The tender documents stated that the consultant will have to assess the storage capacity of the surrounding water body and dredging requirements, as well as potential water quality changes and the estimated cost of developing it.

The tender also mentioned a water infrastructure as part of the redevelopment plan for the Pasir Panjang Terminal area. It said the consultant could also explore if the eastern barrier could integrate with waterfront recreational uses.

While the potential use of the surrounding sea area is not clear, Prof Li said that it could be for a multi-functional water body with uses such as navigation, drainage and water-level management, interim port-related use, and waterfront development in the longer term.

Changi quickly

noreply@blogger.com (Ria Tan) — Wed, 22 Apr 2026 00:39:00 +0000

A quick solo survey of Changi at Carpark 1 during a rare daylight super low tide. My first time revisiting since Jul 2023.

Seagrasses are doing very well, but the shore was very quiet. I didn't see any sea stars and many of the anemones that I usually encounter.

The seagrasses are super lush with dense growths of mostly Needle seagrass (narrow leaves). Also many patches of Spoon seagrass (large leaves). There was a large patch of Smooth ribbon seagrass across the abandoned pipe, about 10m long - this seagrass now seems to be well present all along Changi from Carpark 1 to Carpark 7. All were healthy fresh green. I didn't see any Fern seagrass. And also no sign of dugong feeding trails.

There seems to be an explosion of tiny little sea anemones. I saw many tiny carpet anemones most probably Haddon's with a few Tapetum - with distinctive spoke arrangement of tentacles. Also tiny ones of Big hermit-hitching anemones. There were also a few medium sized Haddon's carpet anemones, and some usual sized Big hermit-hitching anemones. But I didn't see any other kinds of anemones.

The absolutely most abundant animal on the shore today were Pink warty sea cucumbers. I only saw a few Thorny sea cucumbers, one Orange sea cucumber. I saw some Cerianthids, a small Ball flowery soft coral and there was a sea fan near the abandoned pipe. As well as a large sponge which unfortunately had entangled fishing lines in it. There were also some clams. I saw a large shell of a dead Baler snail - although it's dead, we should not remove it as such shells provide valuable shelter for live animals. Fish and octopuses may lay their eggs in such 'empty' shells. Alas, I didn't see any sea stars.

In Jul 2025, it was announced that plans to reclaim for Aviation Park will spare the shores at Changi Carpark 7 to Carpark 1.

See Changi shores for yourself!

They are easy to get to, and enjoyed by many people. But it remains rich in a variety of marine life. More details in "Changi - an easy intertidal adventure for the family". Changi Carpark 1 shore is very narrow and only exposed at very low tides.

First look at Terumbu Menalung next to Sudong reclamation

noreply@blogger.com (Ria Tan) — Mon, 20 Apr 2026 21:54:00 +0000

Terumbu Menalung is a tiny submerged reef flat that lies very close to the ongoing reclamation at Pulau Sudong. Thanks to the team who surveyed this for the first time and shared all their observations.

Photo by Rachael Goh

They encounter a wide variety of corals and marine life, including the endangered Merten's carpet anemone. I was with another team that surveyed Terumbu Bemban at the same tide. What we saw in both locations suggests that there is good effort to minimise impact of the large reclamation works.

Terumbu Menalung and Terumbu Bemban lie closest to the reclamation worksite. Terumbu Palat lies within the worksite and will probably be buried in the reclamation. We already visited it in Jul 2024 and what we saw there was very similar to Terumbu Menalung.

There are also propped up poles on Terumbu Menalung. We also saw these today at Terumbu Bemban, and have seen them since our last survey in Aug 2025, Could these be where they monitor the impact of the reclamation works?

Photos by the team, links to their albums below.

The water remains quite clear, despite being so close to the massive worksite. This is similar to what I saw at Terumbu Bemban today. The general situation on the ground gives me confidence that there is good effort to minimise the impact of this reclamation on nearby shores.

Photo by Rachael Goh

The tiny reef flat was alive! There were many Copperband butterflyfishes, as well as Blue spotted fantail rays. And well camouflaged fishes of all kinds. A variety of common crabs and crustaceans as well as nudibranchs and worms were seen. Red feather star, brittle star and common sea cucumbers represent for the echinoderms. Thanks to Lester for noticing the shorebirds that visit this reef.

Photos by the team, links to their albums below.

There were a variety of commonly seen corals, mostly small to medium sized colonies, but also a few large boulder shaped ones. As well as some less commonly seen corals such as Acropora corals. This seems similar to what was seen at Terumbu Palat which is likely to be buried in the Sudong reclamation.

Photos by the team, links to their albums below.

Some of the common hard corals were pale or pinkish, a sign of stress. Seems only the small plate corals were bleaching. This is similar to what I saw at Terumbu Bemban.

Photos by the team, links to their albums below.

The team saw medium to large colonies of leathery soft corals of various kinds scattered on the shore. Also, a variety of soft corals commonly seen on our reef flats. None of them appear to be bleaching. This is similar to what I saw at Terumbu Bemban.

Photos by the team, links to their albums below.

The team also saw a variety of sea anemones including what looks like a Merten's carpet anemone, which we seldom encounter on our shores. It is listed as Endangered in the latest edition of the Singapore Red Data Book of threatened biodiversity. One of these was also seen at Terumbu Palat which is likely to be buried in the Sudong reclamation. Also seen, a Magnificent anemone as well as several Giant carpet anemones and Frilly anemones.sadfadsf

Photos by the team, links to their albums below.

The team saw sprinkles of Spoon seagrasses.

Photo by Richard Kuah.

Thanks to the team for checking up on Terumbu Menalung, and then surveying Terumbu Bemban too afterwards. Special thanks to Lon for looking after everyone, and Alex and James for getting us there and back safely.

Future of Terumbu Menalung

Large areas near the terumbu are slated for massive reclamation outlined recently in the Long-Term Plan Review.

The Singapore Blue Plan 2018

Pulau Semakau and nearby islands and submerged reefs have been recommended by the Singapore Blue Plan 2018 for Immediate Conservation Priority. The Blue Plan recommends the intertidal and subtidal marine areas of Pulau Semakau and adjacent Pulau Hantu, and Pulau Jong to be designated Marine Reserve.

The Blue Plan highlights that Pulau Semakau and its associated patch reefs comprise many ecosystems: coral reefs, mangrove areas, intertidal sandflats, seagrass meadows, and coral reefs. The subtidal area of Pulau Jong is larger than the terrestrial area. Pulau Hantu is a popular dive site has seen increasing interest in the past decade due to biodiversity awareness. If protection is accorded to these three islands, zonation plans for use can be implemented to manage tourism and human impacts.

DOWNLOAD the Plan, SUPPORT the Plan! More on the Singapore Blue Plan 2018 site.

Photos by the team

Lon Voon Ong

Rachael Goh

Richard Kuah

Lester Tan

Marcus Ng

Mathias Luk

Checking Terumbu Bemban for impacts from the Sudong reclamation

noreply@blogger.com (Ria Tan) — Mon, 20 Apr 2026 21:21:00 +0000

We check up on one of our favourite sites, a submerged reef flat that is the closest to the ongoing reclamation at Pulau Sudong. What we saw suggests that there is good effort to minimise impact of the large reclamation works.

It was a relief to see healthy corals on Western Terumbu Bemban nearest to the reclamation site. There is denser growth of seagrasses here too. While the rich reefy patch on Eastern Terumbu Bemban seems to be okay. A separate team also makes our first survey of tiny Terumbu Menalung nearby. I will update later with all their observations.

Today, the team splits up into two: one making our first survey of Terumbu Menalung, the other doing our annual check up of Terumbu Bemban.

When we arrived at dawn, the work site is alarmingly massive in real life. With gianormous piles of sand, large machinery on land and humungous vessels on the water.

Later, I saw this giant vessel shooting out sand to build yet another humungous mountain on the site.

As on our last survey in Aug 2025, we saw propped up poles on Terumbu Bemban, arrayed along the length of western Terumbu Bemban. As well as one on eastern Terumbu Bemban. Although outside the work site designated in the Port Marine Notice, these are probably sites where they monitor the impact of works on Terumbu Bemban?

Despite these huge vessels working and moving close to Terumbu Bemban, the water remains quite clear. The general situation on the ground gives me confidence that there is good effort to minimise the impact of this reclamation on nearby shores.

As usual, the rest of the team make all the special finds. Richard saw a seahorse! As well as a Spider conch with her freshly laid egg strings. There was also a Merten's carpet anemone which many team members saw. As well as the usual colourful reef fishes and nudibranchs.

Photos by the team. Links to their albums below.

As in the past and similar to our Aug 2025 survey, the western reef nearest to the Sudong reclamation remains dotted mostly with small to medium and a few large boulder shaped corals. There were the usual boulder shaped and plate corals that are commonly seen on our submerged reefs. I even saw one mushroom coral! I didn't see any that were bleaching except for one small plate coral. On the eastern reef, I saw more corals, including big colonies, that were pink (a sign of stress). Also a few Branching montipora corals - no signs of a 'field', and a Cauliflower coral.

Similar to our Aug 2025 survey, there remains many small to medium sized colonies of leathery soft corals of various kinds scattered on the shore. Only a few larger clusters of them in the middle of the reef flat. I also saw a few other kinds of soft corals. I didn't see any that were bleaching. I also didn't see any sea anemones.

There is a small area here that was densely covered with hard corals. It lies on the eastern side of Terumbu Bemban, so not directly next to the Sudong reclamation but definitely within the zone of impact.

In Aug 2023, I already noticed a decline in coral cover and variety in this area. Similar to our Aug 2025 survey, today the area remain less dense, with fewer large colonies on the reef edge. But I saw less common corals like Anchor coral, some mushroom corals, as well as the usual variety of commonly seen corals. And I saw a Giant clam!

Here's a bad video clip of this rich area.

Similar to our Aug 2025 survey, the seagrass situation remains much better than our last survey in Apr 2024. The Spoon seagrasses along the length of the western shore facing Pulau Sudong remains somewhat dense, although heavily covered in epiphytes.

I saw many clumps of Tape seagrass with longish leaves (about 20-30cm) and didn't see any that were cropped super short. I also saw small patches of Sickle seagrass. Most were fresh green and not covered in epiphytes.

Future of Terumbu Bemban

The shores closest to the 31ha reclamation at Eastern tip of Pulau Sudong are Terumbu Bemban and Beting Bemban Besar.

Large areas nearby are also slated for massive reclamation outlined recently in the Long-Term Plan Review.

First time on Sentosa Serapong west!

noreply@blogger.com (Ria Tan) — Mon, 20 Apr 2026 06:15:00 +0000

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.

As usual, the rest of the team make all the special finds. They spot animals among the corals, and manage to photograph animals that live deep inside branching hard corals, Also some lovely coral scenes and special corals.

Photos by the team. Links to their albums below.

The team saw the special Haeckel's anemone which I have not seen for a long time. They also saw octopus and pygmy squid, colourful reef crabs, flatworms and a wide variety of fishes: flathead, butterfly fish, rabbitfish, moray eel and more. Awesome that all this marine lift thrives just beneath the Sentosa bridge!

Photos by the team. Links to their albums below.

It was amazing to see a long stretch of healthy Branching montipora forming a dense 'field' of about 50m at the mid-water mark. This is especially heartening as the Branching montipora on the eastern side of Serapong was mostly dead when we surveyed in Jul 2025.

There were also many well formed plate corals including a few very large colonies approaching 1m in diameter!

How delightful to see a large healthy colony of Branching anchor coral! As well as many small healthy Cauliflower corals. There was a small colony of table forming Elegant acropora coral with at least 4 little green gobies that live only in these corals and can survive out of water for the brief period of low tide. There were also some mushroom corals! And a few colonies of the usual commonly seen corals like Brain corals, Carnation corals, Anemone corals, Brain corals and Merulinid corals.

There were some small Leathery soft corals (too deep for me to take photos). Also a Leathery sea fan, some small clumps of Flowery soft corals and the usual Feathery soft corals.

There were a great many Diadema sea urchins, forming a long line along almost the entire stretch of the reef edge. Also the usual colourful reef sponges including large Barrel sponges in deeper water. The artificial seawalls were alive with the usual colourful crabs and small snails. There were also some small Giant top shell snails on the lower shores. The rest of the team make all the special finds. I'll update more later.

It was a great opportunity to survey this stretch of shore for the first time. Although it is not as rich as the eastern stretch of Serapong which we last surveyed in May 2025. Thank you SDC and Serapong Golf Course for supporting our annual surveys and for looking after these precious shores!

What is the fate of Serapong shores?

While there are so far, no known plans that will directly impact the Serapong shores, they are likely to be impacted by the reclamation at Keppel-Tanjong Pagar expected to start end of 2027.

As well as more long term plans such as the Greater Southern Waterfront coastal protection plan - a “continuous line of defence” at the South. Construction is slated to begin in the 2030s.

Photos by others on this survey

Dylan Seng

Lester Tan

Samuel Lau

Rui Quan Oh

Return to Pulau Semakau (South) mangroves

noreply@blogger.com (Ria Tan) — Sun, 19 Apr 2026 09:05:00 +0000

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! The rest of the team find a healthy reef on the edge, lots of fishes and other interesting marine life. The ongoing Sudong reclamation looms in the distance.

As usual, the rest of the team make all the special finds. A night trip usually means we have a better chance of seeing fishes, which tend to hide during daylight. And we are not disappointed. Sharks were seen, as well as several colourful Weedy wrasse and a funny fish with a yellow tail that I've not seen before. There were also reef fishes commonly seen like 'Nemos', butterfly fishes, damselfishes, rabbitfish, filefish. As well as pipefish and baby Barracuda! And lots more small little fishes of all kinds.

At night, octopuses are also more active, crabs are hunting too. There were a lot of Long-spined black sea urchins! The team also spot the colourful nudibranchs and flatworms. Only Chay Hoon can spot the super well camouflaged slug that looks like seaweed. Good to see the Common sea stars in mating position, as well as the Orange sand star.

There has never been a lot of hard corals on this shore. Most of the corals here are boulder shaped corals, including a few large colonies. For the first time, we survey at a good low tide without a Sargassum bloom. So the team could get right to reef edge and capture some stunning underwater views - it's like an outdoor aquarium with corals and reef fishes swimming around. With some larger colonies that look like tiered wedding cake.

They saw a wide variety of corals including some less commonly encountered ones including Moon coral and Mushroom corals. Most seem well formed, and alright with only a few that were pale or pink (a sign of stress).

Upside down jellyfish large and small remain abundant, as well as Fire anemones in all kinds of colours. The team saw several Snaky anemones - which we have not seen for some time here. There were also lots of Giant carpet anemones, some with 'Nemos'. As well as the usual soft corals and cerianthids seen near reefs.

For the first time in more than 15 years, I had company to check up the back of the original mangroves here! The Pink-eyed pong-pong trees (Cerberus manghas) were still there! Blooming profusely, scenting the morning air with their perfume. Small mangrove saplings are still growing well in the back. As well ans some common back mangrove plants, as well as some small signs of mudlobters. But we couldn't find the Seashore bat lily (Tacca leontopetaloides) that I last saw here in 2011. The younger folk made the trek to the inner lagoon but couldn't find the Api-api jambu (Avicennia marina) that I also last saw in 2011.

More about mangroves at Pulau Semakau
It is NOT true that the construction of the Landfill created the marine life found on Pulau Semakau. The marine life was there long before the Landfill was built. Just as Changi Airport and Changi Beach are not the same even though they are near one another and share a name, Pulau Semakau is NOT the same as the Semakau Landfill. The Landfill was created by destroying all of Pulau Saking, and about half of the original Pulau Semakau by building a very long seawall. Fortunately, the landfill was constructed and is managed in such a way that the original mangroves, seagrass meadows and reefs on Pulau Semakau were allowed to remain.

A look at the seawall (left) with planted mangroves, and the Landfill wall (right).

As on our last survey in Apr 2025 and Nov 2024, the seagrass coverage remains dense near the Landfill seawall and in the mouth of the stream from the mangroves. Mostly fresh green Needle seagrass uniformly covered the area. In the stream bed and pools lots other seagrasses including Spoon seagrass and Sickle seagrass - most generally free of epiphytes. Nearer the seawall, I saw a few clumps of Tape seagrass with longish leaves (about 30cm), most were still cropped short (10cm or less). Alas, I looked and couldn't find any dugong feeding trails today. In Nov 2024, Kok Sheng saw some in seagrasses near the Landfill wall! The last time this was observed was in 2011.

Every time we survey this shore, we check out the Barramundi Group's fish farm that is located very close to natural mangroves, reefs and seagrass meadows there. On our Nov 2024 survey, the farm seems totally abandoned. The situation seems unchanged today 1.5 years. Similar to what we saw on our Apr 2025 survey, the big barge with equipment and supplies, and floating dorm for workers were gone. And cages were falling apart with derelict small boats nearby. During our survey in Oct 2023, the farm was not yet in this state of decay. In Jul 2023, it was reported that Barramundi Group will stop stocking its sites off Pulau Semakau, Pulau Senang and St John’s Island until “an efficacious vaccine is available” against the scale drop disease virus (SDDV). SDDV was first formally described in Singapore farmed fish in 2011 and can kill more than half of the barramundi raised in a cage. The virus has caused “significant mortalities and financial losses” for Barramundi Group's Singapore operations, which recorded a loss of $31.9 million for FY2022.

It was good NOT to see a few key things. It was a relief to see zero live Horse mussel clams. The shore where they used to be today is smooth and covered with small seagrasses. In Oct 2023, the mussels covered a large area from the landfill seawall to the stream opening between the old mangrove and replanted mangroves. This suggests some sort of imbalance in the ecosystem. The area is opposite Barramundi Asia fish farm and most of the mussels were very much alive. I already noticed during our last survey in Dec 2022 that they seem to be spreading out. I first noticed small groups of them in Mar 2019, by Oct 2020, there were a lot more and closer together. Covering an area of about 20m2. By Nov 2024, they disappeared from the shore, the same time that the Barramundi Asia fish farm shutdown.

We also did not see any long fish nets laid on the shore. In May 2023, we came across a 300m long net which had trapped 14 sharks and many other fishes. The lack of these destructive activities seem to coincide with the closure of the fish farm. The other thing we didn't see was a bloom of Sargassum. Seems that at least here, the seasonal bloom is over.

The ongoing reclamation at Pulau Sudong seems to be in full swing today! With huge piles of sand and heavy equipment on the worksite.

We plan to survey Terumbu Bemban and Terumbu Menalung this week to have a closer look at possible impacts.

What is the fate of Pulau Semakau South?

These shores slated for massive reclamation outlined recently in the Long-Term Plan Review.

Some common animals I saw today.
The rest of the team make all the special sightings.

The Blue Plan highlights that Pulau Semakau and its associated patch reefs comprise many ecosystems: coral reefs, mangrove areas, intertidal sandflats, seagrass meadows, and coral reefs. The subtidal area of Pulau Jong is larger than the terrestrial area. Pulau Hantu is a popular dive site has seen increasing interest in the past decade due to biodiversity awareness. If protection is accorded to these three islands, zonation plans for use can be implemented to manage tourism and human impacts.

DOWNLOAD the Plan, SUPPORT the Plan! More on the Singapore Blue Plan 2018 site.

Photos by others on this survey

Chay Hoon

Jianlin Liu

Che Cheng Neo

Richard Kuah

Marcus Ng

Lester Tan

Rui Quan Oh

Samuel Lau

Jayden Kang

Tammy Lim

Dylan Sng

Others on this survey: Muhd Nasry, Foo Meijuan, Jun Ze, Isaac Ong.

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

noreply@blogger.com (Ria Tan) — Wed, 15 Apr 2026 22:02:00 +0000

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.

Singapore dive operators gear up for return of diving at Sisters’ Islands
The site will be a significant addition to the limited number of local dive spots, and is expected to boost local interest in the sport and support conservation efforts.
Natalie Ong Channel NewsAsia 15 Apr 2026 05:10PM

SINGAPORE: Some dive operators in Singapore are preparing to expand their operations ahead of the reopening of Sisters’ Islands Marine Park for diving later this year, even increasing manpower in anticipation of rising demand.

The site will be a significant addition to a limited handful of local dive spots, joining existing locations such as Pulau Hantu, Pulau Jong and St John’s Island.

Industry players say it is expected to boost interest in domestic diving while raising awareness of marine conservation.

GROWING INTEREST IN LOCAL DIVING

While Singapore is not widely known as a diving destination – especially compared with neighbouring countries offering clearer waters and more abundant marine life – operators say interest in local diving has been steadily rising.

Mr Chua Ying Kai, co-founder of The Submersibles, said demand at his dive centre has increased by about 20 per cent every year.

He believes the reinstatement of diving at Sisters’ Islands could further shift perceptions by offering a more accessible and affordable alternative to overseas dive trips.

In anticipation, the company plans to double its number of dive masters and instructors to offer more small-group dives.

“In Singapore’s water environment, the visibility is limited, so ideally we should have one (instructor) to two or three (divers), so that everybody can have a good time and (remain) safe,” Mr Chua told CNA.

He noted that while the previous marine trails at Sisters’ Islands were interesting, they were relatively small – accommodating about 10 divers at a time and taking just 15 minutes to complete.

“(NParks) used a rope to mark out the marine trail. It's probably the only marine park in the world with signages underwater. It's very Singapore style, where we have stations 1 to 4, and so on. It's very interesting,” said Mr Chua.

“(With) more dive areas (coming up), it will be fantastic because then we have more space. We can bring more divers without bumping into each other and without affecting the environment.”

Another operator, Turtle Buddy Divers, said interest in Singapore’s waters is also growing among international visitors. The dive centre has seen a 10 per cent increase in foreign customers over the past year.

Its chief instructor Leonard Chang said: “I have a lot of foreign divers coming from places like the United States and Switzerland … just to have a feel of what Singapore's waters are like.”

REVITALISE DIVING SCENE

Sisters’ Islands Marine Park, located in the southern waters off Sentosa, reopened to visitors in October 2024 after three years of rejuvenation works.

It features attractions such as a floating boardwalk, a coastal forest trail and a lagoon tidal pool for swimming and snorkelling.

However, diving activities have remained suspended since 2021 to facilitate enhancement works.

The National Parks Board (NParks) will lift these restrictions later this year, allowing divers to return under approved operators.

Minister of State for National Development Alvin Tan made the announcement at Asia Dive Expo last week, saying the move will attract more people to explore Singapore's waters and learn more about marine conservation.

Enthusiasts say that the biodiversity-rich waters around the park is likely to rejuvenate the local diving scene for both Singaporeans and tourists alike.

“The marine park will make diving more interesting. I believe there will be a growth for the number of people wanting to become divers in Singapore,” said The Submersibles' Mr Chua.

Mr Lim Teck Koon, an instructor at dive centre Blue Reef Scuba, agreed.

“With the busy schedules of working Singaporeans, we don't always have the ability to make a weekend trip,” he said. “Diving in Singapore offers us the opportunity to just make a day trip, or half a day trip. (Hence), more access to different locations will definitely help.”

WATERS MURKY ON DETAILS

Despite the optimism, operators say key details have yet to be finalised, including the extent of accessible dive areas and logistical arrangements.

When diving at Sisters' Islands was first permitted in 2015, six operators were given approval. It is unknown how many operators will be permitted this year.

Divers must also have certification beyond entry level from reputable international training organisations, and must have logged at least 20 dives, with one local dive within the past two years.

Blue Reef Scuba's Mr Lim noted that previous diving access at the park was limited to the authorised underwater trail.

“We were only allowed to dive in that designated area marked by underwater pickets. So we were not allowed to explore that far,” he said.

“So, our curiosity is … what is the extent of this reopening? Are there fixed sites that we go to, like a guided trail, or is the entire area around the island open to us?”

Operators also highlighted logistical considerations, including whether dives will be limited to boat access and how equipment and divers can be transported efficiently.

They said these factors will ultimately determine how quickly they can roll out new trips and courses once diving restarts.

Speech by MOS Alvin Tan at the Asia Dive Expo 2026
MND website Apr 10, 2026

Introduction

Good afternoon, and welcome to the 32nd edition of ADEX.

Thirty-two years is a big milestone, and many of you here are part of a a very thriving diving community, and we welcome you to Singapore and to the many other wonderful diving sites all around Southeast Asia. ADEX has grown into Asia’s largest and longest-running dive expo, welcoming over 20,000 visitors over the next three days. But what brings everybody here together is not just tourism officials, people who love diving, but the whole community. It’s a deep passion for our oceans.

Today I’ll speak about three things very quickly: why our oceans are important, what we are doing, and how ADEX is contributing to these efforts.

Needless to say, many of you know why our oceans are important. Singapore may be one of the smallest nations, but we are also at the gateway of the Coral Triangle – one of the most biodiverse regions in marine life. Our oceans also sustain ecosystems, livelihoods and communities, yet they are under increasing pressures from climate change and human activity. At the same time, as we have learnt over time, oceans are incredibly resilient and if we do the right things, we can help them to recover. From the smallest reef species to the largest whales, every part of this precious ecosystem helps keep our oceans in balance.

Reopening of Diving Activities at Sisters’ Island Marine Park

So it brings me to my next point – what are we doing to safeguard and protect our oceans? We are strengthening our efforts to protect and restore our marine environment.

Last month in Parliament, I shared that we will formally designate a second marine park later this year, and we will invest $60M in a new marine science research centre of excellence. All of these are small but important steps for us to take to strengthen our Nature Conservation Masterplan.

We also continue to work closely with the diving community - many of you, who are avid divers.
In that spirit, I am pleased to announce that in consultation with dive operators, NParks intends to reopen diving activities within Sisters’ Islands Marine Park later this year. So thank you to the NParks community for doing so. Many of you may have remembered that diving was paused in November 2021 to facilitate enhancement. With this reopening that I have just announced, divers can once again explore these waters with approved operators.

But more importantly, beyond that, this is about deepening our connection to the marine environment so that we can better understand, cherish, and protect our big blue. We will share more on our NParks website in due time..

What ADEX is doing

Finally, what is ADEX doing, and why is ADEX so important in working together with our community and the Government to safeguard our big blue. This year’s theme, "The Blue Revolution: Reduce, Innovate, Reuse", is very timely – because it reflects the practical actions we must take, to reduce our footprint, innovate solutions, and chart a more sustainable path forward.

So I’m encouraged by this year’s initiatives – The inaugural Blue Legacy Awards honours recognises those of you who have been making waves in marine conservation, with Ocean Academy extending the outreach beyond the diving community to include our youth, our next generation. These efforts help nurture a new generation of ocean stewards.

And this year, we are focusing on the Humphead Wrasse, an endangered species growing over two metres long, which plays animportant part in safeguarding coral reef health., But the Humphead Wrasse actually faces a serious threat from overfishing.

To protect it and other marine species, we must work closely across government, industry, researchers and our diving community. We must work closely, and that is why Governments, tourism officials, the diving community, researchers are all here today – all of you play an important role and platforms like ADEX bring all these different partners together. Because we have a strong community of student volunteers, partnerships with conservation groups and support from tourism boards all over Southeast Asia, like a reef that is built over time.

Conclusion

So please continue to safeguard this very precious resource, and together, let us turn the tide. Let us build a more sustainable future for our oceans.

Thank you, and I wish you a fruitful ADEX 2026.

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

noreply@blogger.com (Ria Tan) — Tue, 14 Apr 2026 21:35:00 +0000

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.

Singapore deploys tech to help fish farmers predict harmful algae blooms, protect supply
Algae blooms can rapidly deplete oxygen levels in the water or release toxins, creating dangerous conditions that can lead to large-scale fish deaths within a short period.
Eugene Chow and Calvin Yang Channel NewsAsia 14 Apr 2026 10:12AM

SINGAPORE: Singapore is deploying technology to help fish farmers predict harmful algae blooms in surrounding waters that can wipe out fish stocks.

This allows farmers to better prepare for and respond to such incidents, improving the chances of keeping their fish alive and their livelihoods afloat.

Algae blooms can rapidly deplete oxygen levels in the water or release toxins, creating dangerous conditions that can lead to large-scale fish deaths within a short period.

REAL-TIME WATER MONITORING

A network of eight buoy-like sensors has been installed in Singapore’s waters to monitor key water conditions such as dissolved oxygen and temperature in real time.

The system sends data to the Singapore Food Agency (SFA), allowing officers to detect abnormal readings and assess risks.

When such conditions arise, alerts are issued to fish farmers so they can act quickly to protect their stock.

Mr Sim Song Huat, owner of Top Ocean Seafood Trading, said access to such data can improve response times.

“We'll monitor the readings for oxygen, salinity and chlorophyll,” he noted. “If they drop, we'll pay closer attention and put in place preventive measures.”

The water quality readings are also updated regularly online, replacing what was once a repetitive and manual process.

ANALYSING WATER SAMPLES

Beyond real-time monitoring, data gathered supports ongoing research to help scientists better understand the changing water conditions.

Researchers are also working to better forecast harmful algae blooms by analysing the seawater samples collected from around the island.

In laboratories, they examine the seawater in detail.

This includes identifying plankton species that can produce neurotoxins which accumulate in fish when consumed in large amounts. These neurotoxins can cause fish to suffer seizures and even die.

Ms Hoe Geok Ting, a scientist from SFA’s agrifood technology division, said such efforts can protect farm production from environmental risks.

“Harmful algae bloom is a type of potentially adverse environmental event that we look out for, because it can cause mass fish kill when it occurs, and when they do, they can potentially wipe out farm stocks,” she added.

“In order to safeguard our farm production, we do need to closely monitor for such events so that we can make sure that our farmers are not affected by these conditions and events that are outside of their control."

FORECASTING HARMFUL BLOOMS

In 2015, Singapore experienced a severe algae bloom which wiped out up to 600 tonnes of fish across 55 farms.

“Since then, we’ve actually established the current, more robust water quality monitoring system,” said Ms Hoe.

“With this, we are also hoping to provide farmers with even earlier alerts, so that they have sufficient lead time to prepare themselves and safeguard their production before the onset of such blooms.”

With the new prediction model being developed, SFA aims to forecast such events at least two days in advance.

The upgrade is expected to be completed in the near future.

The agency expects the move to strengthen local fish supply and stabilise seafood prices during periods of import disruption.

Related post

Neptune coastal monitoring system upgraded Mar 2025

Feedback on land reclamation at Keppel-Tanjong Pagar

noreply@blogger.com (Ria Tan) — Sun, 12 Apr 2026 22:26:00 +0000

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.

Land half the size of Marina Bay expected to be reclaimed as part of Greater Southern Waterfront
Shabana Begum Straits Times Apr 12, 2026, 05:00 AM

SINGAPORE - Plans to reshape Singapore’s southern coastline into a new precinct that will offer people more housing and recreational options are progressing.

Reclamation works are expected to be carried out at the Keppel and Tanjong Pagar terminals after they relocate to Tuas around 2027.

The work to reclaim around 213ha of land, around half the size of Marina Bay, for the Greater Southern Waterfront precinct will take at least 10 years to complete, the Housing Board told The Straits Times.

The proposed land reclamation was revealed in an environmental impact assessment released on HDB’s website on April 8.

In response to queries, the Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) said the reclamation works will be carried out at the vacated terminals to form contiguous land that will enable comprehensive redevelopment of the area.

“This will provide a direct connection along the southern coastline between existing precincts such as Labrador and Harbourfront, areas currently occupied by the city terminals, and Marina Bay,” the URA spokesperson said.

The spokesperson added: “The development of the Greater Southern Waterfront will be paced out over many years to support Singapore’s long-term land use needs and will comprise a mix of uses. More detailed plans on future developments will be shared when ready.”

The area to be reclaimed is also located near Pulau Brani and Sentosa, which will be redeveloped into a leisure and tourism destination over the next two to three decades.

The future Greater Southern Waterfront precinct was announced in 2013. It stretches from Pasir Panjang to Marina East, and will have new residential precincts, as well as commercial, recreational and entertainment options. It is expected to take 20 to 30 years to transform the area.

The proposed land reclamation at the terminals will be located next to the Long Island mega-reclamation project involving the creation of some 800ha of new land, which serves to protect the low-lying East Coast area from rising sea levels.

In end-March, URA said it is planning to start preparatory works for Long Island, including removing seabed obstructions and moving materials into the waters. These works are not expected to impact land-based activities, and the authorities will share the affected locations in the coming months.

Singapore’s southern coastline will eventually comprise the Greater Southern Waterfront, Marina Bay, Kallang Basin and the future Long Island project.

The authorities did not say when the reclamation works at the terminals will begin.

But HDB told ST that the works will take place progressively as the port phases out and other works related to the environmental study are completed. These include developing measures to limit the impact on the environment and taking into account points from stakeholders for the project’s planning and design.

It was earlier reported that the Keppel and Tanjong Pagar terminals are expected to relocate to Tuas Port by 2027.

According to the environmental impact study by consultancy DHI Water & Environment, the reclamation area will be divided into two phases.

The smaller phase one has land extending from the Marina Bay Cruise Centre into the sea with a pointed, triangular tip. URA said the triangular-shaped profile relates to an “ongoing study for a future waterfront development”, and more details will be shared when ready.

In May 2024, ST reported that there are plans for Singapore’s two cruise terminals to be consolidated in the coming years, with the cruise centre in HarbourFront set to move so that a continuous promenade can be established as part of the Greater Southern Waterfront.

The second phase stretches from near the Marina Coastal Expressway to Keppel Terminal.

When asked about the need to reclaim more land for the Greater Southern Waterfront, URA said: “Land reclamation is one of several strategies to create additional space to support Singapore’s evolving and competing land use needs. Such projects are undertaken with careful consideration.”

Its spokesperson added that comprehensive studies are conducted to assess feasibility and trade-offs, alongside measures to mitigate potential impact on the environment and stakeholders, before a decision is taken and works are carried out.

The proposed reclamation will also support coastal protection efforts, as reclaiming land will enable a new seawall to be constructed at a height that strengthens the area’s defences against rising sea levels, high tides and storm surges, added URA.

The land will also be raised to a higher level during the reclamation works.

These shields will form a continuous line of defence against rising sea-levels with other structures that would likely be part of the new precinct’s coastal defences.

Coastal protection measures proposed for the Greater Southern Waterfront in 2025 include coastal barriers – or arm-like gates – to be installed on both ends of Sentosa to shield the main coastline from storm surges.

On the environmental impact of the reclamation works, the over 600-page report noted that coral habitats and filter feeders on the existing concrete piles within the site will be permanently removed.

Increased sediments could also affect corals and seagrass at the Sentosa shoreline and in Marina South.

For example, an area near the Marina Bay Cruise Centre has colonies of hard corals, and the coastal walls along parts of Tanjong Pagar Terminal have large gorgonian sea fans, the report noted.

Construction activities such as dredging can produce underwater noise, which may impact elusive marine mammals.

The study suggested measures to limit impacts on marine biodiversity, which include regularly monitoring the corals at Sentosa and installing silt screens at the construction area to contain sediments and prevent them from spreading.

HDB told ST that coral transplantation will be carried out to relocate the corals within the affected area before development works, and this will be done in consultation with the National Parks Board (NParks).

Other reef-dependent marine animals deemed to be of conservation value will also be relocated, added the agency.

ST had earlier reported that NParks was drawing up an advisory for coastal developers to reduce underwater noise to avoid harming creatures such as the Indo-Pacific humpback dolphin and the dugong that frequent Singapore’s coastal waters. Asked whether such an advisory would be issued before the upcoming works, NParks said it would be doing so.

HDB said that with suitable mitigation and management measures in place, the proposed reclamation “does not pose any significant negative or unacceptable impacts”. These measures will be implemented throughout the reclamation works to ensure that environmental impact is mitigated, the agency added.

Land reclamation will bury marine habitats and reefs peppered along the sea-facing structures and seawalls at the terminals. Sediment plumes from dredging and infilling could also affect habitats nearby, like the reefs of northern Sentosa, said marine experts.

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 as well as the marine life-rich Southern Islands.

She noted that the Sisters’ Islands Marine Park and the future second marine park expected to cover parts of 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.

Members of the public can give feedback on the environmental study through HDB’s website until May 5.

Second B. hainesii at Pasir Ris!

noreply@blogger.com (Ria Tan) — Sat, 11 Apr 2026 23:32:00 +0000

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!

As on our last survey in Dec 2024, this patch of mangroves seems to be doing well. The mud is nice and soft and smelly. There are lots of little saplings everywhere.

The big trees are doing well. There seems to be less trash than usual.

This small mangrove is home to the beautiful Bakau mata buaya, listed as 'Critically Endangered' not just in Singapore but globally too! We regularly check up on a large Bakau mata buaya here, the last on the mainland (the one at Sungei Buloh is dead). I first saw this tree in 2009 and it has thrived ever since. Almost every time I see it, it is blooming profusely and producing propagules too. Similar to our last visit in 2024, today, it is still standing strong and with flowers on the tree and lots of fallen calyx on the ground. The embankment behind the tree continues to erode away, the base of the tree looks strong and healthy. There wasn't much litter accumulated near the tree.

So much joy to find a second smaller tree here, about 6m tall. It doesn't have the fierce buttress roots like the taller one, but we can see the knee roots typical of the species. It also has flowers on the tree and lots of fallen calyx on the ground. We even found a fallen propagule nearby!

There used to be a Pisang-pisang (Kandelia candel) in this mangrove - the only known naturally occurring one on the mainland. I first saw it in 2009 as well. But the last time I saw it was in 2011, and in 2015 the spot where it used to be was full of thrash.

For the first time, I had a good look at this patch of mangroves. Starting from the mangrove edge next to Sungei Loyang (now a canal).

The mangrove trees here are tall and healthy. With a variety of the usual common species. Also Teruntum putih (Lumnitzera racemosa) listed as 'Endangered'; a very tall tree (about 6m) and many young shrubs.

The canal itself is not dead concrete. There are a lot of clams growing there which probably shelters a variety of animals. Will have to take a closer look another time.

Today, there is still some alarmingly huge trash deep inside the mangroves. Although the load of smaller litter is not as excessive.

This mangrove has always had signs of human impact. In 2023, I saw a long platform built among the trees.

And there were signs of people 'storing' their belongings among the trees.

In 2018, I saw several kayaks 'stored' among the trees. Today, aside from the washed up trash, I didn't see any such human impacts.

A stretch of sandy shores and lush seagrass meadows extend at the mouth of Sungei Loyang. Mostly Spoon seagrass with both small and large leaves, growing particularly thickly on the soft silty edges away from the shore. Today, the tide wasn't very low so we didn't focus on this area.

What is the fate of Pasir Ris shores?

There doesn't seem to be a change in 2013 plans to reclaim all of Pasir Ris, all of Changi from Carpark 1 to Carpark 7 and beyond, and reclaim Chek Jawa and Pulau Sekudu. These appear to remain in place in the Long-Term Plan Review. Including plans for a road link that starts at Pasir Ris, crosses to Pulau Ubin, right across Chek Jawa to Pulau Tekong, and back to the mainland at Changi East.

Additionally, the URA Master Plan indicates plans to develop the area affecting the naturally regenerated mangroves.

The URA plan overlaid on Google Earth shows it covers the entirety of the mangroves we surveyed.

See Pasir Ris shores for yourself !

These shores are easy to get to, and enjoyed by many people. But it remains rich in a variety of marine life. More details in "Pasir Ris - Perfect intertidal getaway for the family" Today, we visited at 1m and it seems you can see some shores, and of course, all of the mangroves!

Photos by others on this survey

Rui Quan Oh

EIA for land reclamation at Keppel-Tanjong Pagar

noreply@blogger.com (Ria Tan) — Wed, 08 Apr 2026 21:39:00 +0000

Reclamation will take place after end of 2027. "As construction activities for the Project are not confirmed at this stage, the worst-case scenarios in terms of potential impacts were identified and assessed within this study."

Shores nearby include Sentosa (Serapong and Tg Rimau), Labrador, P. Tekukor, Kusu Island, Seringat Kias and Lazarus, St. John's Island. And Marina East.

HDB wants your feedback https://form.gov.sg/6966fc4e7c5fe159af98b799

From Executive Summary on the HDB website

The Housing and Development Board (HDB) intends to undertake land reclamation at the southern region of Singapore. The City Terminals—Keppel, Tanjong Pagar and Brani—are expected to be relocated to Tuas Port by end of 2027 and the proposed land reclamation will be carried out at the vacated Keppel and Tanjong Pagar terminals connecting the area with Marina Bay to support the area’s overall redevelopment and coastal protection plans. This Project will be part of the Greater Southern Waterfront which extends from Pasir Panjang to Marina East which will be transformed for urban living along the southern coast.

The Project will comprise the construction of seawall (sloping seawall including revetments) and other marine and drainage facilities, including but not limited to soil improvement works, dredging of seabed, infilling of sand and/or other reclamation fill materials such as land-based excavated earth materials generated from the construction industry or dredged materials.

Construction activities for the Project are not confirmed at this stage but are likely to include sand key dredging and infilling, sand bund construction, seawall removal, demolition of existing piles and pile deck, and other drainage facilities within the Project site. As the construction methodology has not been firmed up, the worst-case scenarios in terms of potential impacts were identified and assessed within the study.

The following changes and impacts were predicted for the construction (process) phase:

Marine ecology and biodiversity: Increased SSC and sedimentation during construction are predicted to have up to a Minor Negative Impact on coral and seagrass at the nearby Sentosa shoreline and Marina South due to construction works and sediment transport, with Slight Negative or No Impact predicted at other receptors. Slight Negative Impacts are associated with construction disturbances (underwater noise and vibration, physical disturbances and light pollution) and deterioration of environmental quality during the construction, while the change in risk of oil spills due to vessel collisions is assessed as a No Impact through suitable implementation of mitigating measures. No other impacts are predicted for the relevant receptors.

During the post-construction (project) phase, the following changes and impacts were predicted:

Marine ecology and biodiversity: The main long-term impacts to marine ecology are related to the direct impact of the project, given that habitats including coral habitats, macrobenthos and filter feeders on the existing concrete piles, within the physical footprint of the development will be permanently removed. The overall impact is assessed as a Moderate Negative Impact for corals and a Slight Negative Impact for the filter feeders and soft seabed habitat in terms of the lost habitat, and a Minor Positive Impact in terms of the potential new habitat created along the sloped rock revetment of the new reclamation. Minor Negative Impacts from suspended sediments are predicted for corals at Sentosa and Marina South, and Slight Negative Impacts for seagrass at Sentosa and Marina East. Additionally, localised Slight Negative Impact for corals at the eastern side of Sentosa, Marina South and Marina East due to sedimentation caused by localised seabed redistribution are also predicted. However, these localised effects are expected to be temporary as an initial seabed response to the predicted current changes in these areas, and are expected to reduce over time as a new equilibrium is reached. Note also that these changes are expected to start once Phase 1 of the reclamation is completed, so the model results for the Final profile are considered to be conservative. No Impacts are predicted to other marine habitats.

Some diagrams extracted from the Main Report on the HDB website

Return to mangroves at Marina East

noreply@blogger.com (Ria Tan) — Sun, 05 Apr 2026 23:12:00 +0000

A small team of mangrove enthusiasts return to the larger patch of mangroves at Marina East which Arjun Sai Krishnan first explored in Dec 2025. I was excited to share with them what we saw on our survey in Feb 2026.

A healthy patch of mangroves had settled naturally here. From tiny saplings among the cracks in the seawall to huge trees behind the artificial seawall and reclaimed land. We found a few more rare mangroves in addition to those we saw on our previous survey. Mangrove nerds were highly over stimulated. The rest of the team documents birds, fish and other wildlife that have also settled here. I will update with their sightings later on.

The most exciting find was the Critically Endangered Gedabu (Sonneratia ovata). A small healthy tree which was producing flower buds. These are mainly found in our northern mangroves. So far, I've only seen one at Berlayar Creek, that one might have been planted and perhaps not from native stock. Nasry found a small sapling of Dungun (Heritiera littoralis) listed as Endangered.

The Mentigi (Pemphis acidula) listed as Critically Endangered, is still there and looking healthy but not flowering as profusely as it did on our last visit. We also admired and checked up on the Tumu Berau (Bruguiera sexangula) listed as Critically Endangered - and Kwan Siong taught us how to distinguish it from the more common Tumu (Bruguiera gymnorrhiza). We couldn't find any Api-api jambu (Aviccenia marina).

As I waited for the sunrise, I saw a glimpse of the seawall just peeking out of the water. It is the western most part of the 2.5km seawall covered in corals. We survey the eastern most part of this seawall at East Coast Park Area B, only on a super low tide. Our last survey here was in Nov 2025.

I had a closer look at the small sandy beach at the 'elbow' on the eastern most end of the seawall. The ground is super soft. On the mid-shore, a lot of litter had accumuluted. Including many single-use water cups, which likely come from ferries that ply our waters. These are not commonly used by beach goers or the local boating or fishing community. But these single-use water cups are apparently given out to passengers on ferries. It seems no facilities are provided at any of the piers/terminals under MPA's charge for vessels to responsibly dispose of trash generated during their operation. More in
this post.

The area we surveyed today is in the yellow circle.

The seagrasses returned to the low shore below the seawall on western end in 2015, but were again affected by coastal works, probably related to the construction of the jetty.

The low shore on the western end in Feb 2015
Photo by Loh Kok Sheng.

By 2017, seagrasses were back on the low shore below the seawall on western end.

In Dec 2025, we surveyed the seagrasses that settled naturally on the low shore below the seawall on western end, and a tiny patch of mangroves has settled on the berm there. Today, I walked past them as the sun rose.

What is the fate of this shore?

Massive reclamation is planned near the area we surveyed today as outlined recently in the Long-Term Plan Review. From Tanah Merah Ferry Terminal to Marina Bay.

Technical studies for 'Long Island' 800ha reclamation off the East Coast were announced and preparatory works beginning.

Natural regeneration on Singapore's artificial shores and structures is already happening now. Unintentionally, with zero replanting. Can we plan coastal works to allow reefs, mangroves and seagrasses to naturally regenerate? Naturalise canals leading to the sea for a continuum of freshwater wetlands to mangroves? Imagine what's possible for coastal! Reefs and natural marine ecosystems at our doorstep, for all in the City to enjoy. More about this idea in my feedback to the Draft Master Plan 2013.

Photos by others on this survey

Zen Xuan He

Koh Kwan Siong

Others on this survey: Muhd Nasry, Yan Le Su, Jayden Kang, Ong Jun Ze, Ian Mun, Meijuan Foo.