This brings the total mangrove forest reserve hectarage to 6,063 in the state.

The latest figure is the highest in three years since the state started marking certain areas as permanent reserves. It also represents an 18% increase in the total permanent forest reserves in the state.

State environment committee chairman Phee Boon Poh said Penang had been proactive in continuously marking mangrove swamps as permanent reserves in tandem with their expansion, as they mitigated the effects of climate change and helped boost food security.

“We are doing this as mangroves are our last defence against climate change and even tsunamis. Mangroves are also where crabs and prawns breed, an important factor in food security,” he told FMT.

Phee said the most significant mangrove swamp marked as a permanent reserve was the Bagan Belat area off the waters of Butterworth as it was a famous spot for migratory birds.

The government gazette in 2019 recorded that 5,100ha of mangrove swamps had been marked as permanent by the state authorities.