Giant Clams & Marine Invertebrate Hatcheryes
Giant Clams and Invertebrate Hatchery (GCIH) Giant Clam Hatchery was built in year of 2006 as a joint venture project between Sabah Parks and Semporna Islands Darwin Project project (SIDP). Its operation since establishment is under supervision of Park Management, Tun Sakaran Marine Park (TSMP).
The main objective of the GCIH is for giving the local community an opportunity in aquaculture that turn out to be an alternative livelihood program.
In July 2008, GCIH officially have been placed under management and supervision of Marine Research Unit (Coral & Marine Flora) of TSMP. The hatchery placed giant clam and abalone spawning tank area, algae culture room, office, exhibition room, brood stock garden and open sea cage. There is 7 species of giant clam that exist in GCIH namely, T.gigas, T.derasa, T.maxima, T.crocea, T.squamosa, H.porcellanus and H.hipoppus.
Currently GCIH have around 36 brood stock of giant clam. In the year of 2009, GCIH have been successful in spawning, fertilize and hatching giant clams eggs from T.gigas and T.derasa species and has attained juvenile level total nearly 5,248 individual.
This juvenile will be given to a local community and cultured until achieve mature size as their side income resource and alternative livelihood. This program can reduce risks excess of sea resource utilization which can be jeopardized coral reef.
Planning nowadays is to prepare underwater trail that located in the area around Taman Marin Tun Sakaran considering area that srategik and suitable for activity diving and research study area.