The Marine Research Foundation is a non-profit research foundation based in Sabah, Malaysia and incorporated under the Trustees (Incorporation) Act 1951 Cap. 148. MRF was set up to further the understanding of marine ecosystems and functions, and conserve the abundance and diversity of marine flora and fauna through research, conservation and education activities.

The Marine Research Foundation carries out a number of projects related to biodiversity assessment and conservation, providing management-oriented solutions to Government administrations and conservationists. Some examples of MRF’s project include working in partnership with the Department of Fisheries Malaysia to develop sustainable fishery practices and reduce bycatch in shrimp fisheries; working with TRAFFIC, Conservation International and WWF to develop tri-national approaches to seascape-level conservation, including the design of a network of marine protected areas (MPAs) and reduction of poaching of sea turtles by Chinese and Vietnamese vessels; conducting aerial surveys for sea turtles in Palawan (Philippines); using laparoscopy to determine gender ratios of turtles on foraging grounds, and link these to management practices at hatcheries; working in the Middle East to investigate impacts of climate change on sea turtles; working with local communities in the Solomon Islands and Papua New Guinea to conserve critically endangered leatherback turtles; working with the CMS Dugong Secretariat to implement a GEF dugong conservation project across 8 nations in the Indo-Pacific; and a suite of other smaller initiatives. In the past MRF has worked with UNDP in Eritrea to develop a turtle conservation agenda and National Action Plan which focused on development of fisheries and coastal infrastructure while considering marine turtles as integral components of coastal ecosystems; working with the Ministry of Environment in Qatar to develop a comprehensive research programme and conduct status reviews for turtles along its shores and territorial seas; assisting WWF in Vietnam with training aimed at management interactions and conservation practices, and in deploying satellite transmitters to determine turtles’ offshore migration paths; implementing training courses for staff and management in collaboration with the Ministry of Environment and Climate Affairs in the Sultanate of Oman; working with Sabah Parks in Malaysia to determine population dynamics of the critically endangered Hawksbill turtle, and on hatchling mortality in nearshore waters; working with the Department of Fisheries to trial turtle-friendly fishing gears in Sabah.