Taking S'pore's sea wonders to the heartland

New non-profit group plans to showcase rich underwater life via talks, games and more

- Shabana Begum

After years of helping to restore Singapore's coral reefs and clearing marine litter from the fragile habitat, marine biologist Sam Shu Qin now wants to take the country's underwater wonders to the heartland.

Ms Sam, 35, formed a new non-profit group called Our Blue Spaces in March, which aims to make the less-visible marine life around the island-state more accessible to those who may not have had the chance to visit the nation's biodiversity-rich Southern Islands, such as the Sisters' Islands and Lazarus Island.

With the setting-up of the new outfit, Ms Sam plans to roll out creative programmes like "coral and cocktail" educational talks, marine-themed escape room games and dive expeditions, on top of conducting marine conservation sessions at firms and schools.

The aim, she told The Sunday Times, is to bring the nation's underwater environment to life for many Singaporeans who may not know about the richness of life in the country's waters.

Despite their murkiness, Singapore's seas are home to a rich variety of marine life, such as more than 100 species of reef fish, about 200 species of sea sponges, and rare and endangered seahorses and giant clams.

Ms Sam's aspirations for Our Blue Spaces comes amid a "blue wave" in Singapore, with almost back-to-back announcements on ocean conservation rolled out over the past year.

These include the reopening of the Sisters' Islands Marine Park in October, the September launch of the country's first seagrass restoration project, as well as plans to create the country's second marine park, which were announced in May.