The Marine Research Foundation is a small non-profit research foundation based in Sabah, Malaysia (north Borneo) and incorporated under the Trustees (Incorporation) Act 1951 Cap. 148. The Foundation was established to further the understanding of marine ecosystems and their associated diverse flora and fauna in Southeast Asia and other Indo-Pacific sites. The Foundation carries out a number of projects related to biodiversity assessment and conservation, and seeks to provide management-oriented solutions to Government administrations and conservationists. A key action for the MRF in the coming year will be bringing together experts form different bycatch species groups impacted by the high seas longline industry to develop joint solutions and enable description and qualification of the current status and extent of the bycatch problem in a geographical context. Together with partners Conservation International and WWF, we hope to produce a framework under which future collaboration among researchers of key animal groups may be achieved, and help guide future research and funding which will result in improved conservation initiatives.
