TRACC – Tropical Research And Conservation Centre (Borneo)
Saving the ocean, one coral, one turtle and one shark at a time.
On a small island off the coast of Borneo, TRACC is rebuilding coral reefs, protecting sea turtles, and training the next generation of ocean defenders. From Pom Pom Island, Sabah, volunteers and students from around the world dive every day to restore life beneath the waves.
About TRACC
The Tropical Research and Conservation Centre (TRACC) is a marine NGO based on Pom Pom Island, Semporna (Sabah, Malaysia), in the heart of the Coral Triangle. Founded by marine biologist Dr. Steve Oakley, TRACC was created to restore bomb-damaged reefs and protect local marine wildlife. Volunteers and students are at the core of its mission.
Our Impact
Over more than a decade of continuous reef restoration, TRACC has transformed the waters around Pom Pom Island from bomb-damaged rubble into thriving coral gardens.
Every year, thousands of coral fragments are transplanted, creating new habitats for fish, turtles, and reef species.
Sea turtle populations are monitored and protected through nest patrols and hatchling releases, ensuring that the beaches of Pom Pom remain a safe haven for future generations.
Beyond the reef, TRACC’s greatest impact lies in education — training hundreds of volunteers, students, and local residents in marine ecology, sustainable diving, and reef restoration. Many of them go on to lead their own conservation initiatives around the world.
What started as a small base on a remote island has become a living example of how science, passion, and community can rebuild an ocean — one coral at a time.
TRACC -
Ongoing Projects & Field Work
Coral Reef Restoration
TRACC rebuilds bomb-damaged reefs using coral fragments grown on artificial reef structures such as ARC and STEP modules. Thousands of fragments are transplanted each year, creating new habitats for fish, invertebrates and sea turtles. Continuous monitoring ensures that every reef recovers stronger and more resilient.
Sea Turtle Conservation Pom Pom Island is an important nesting site for green and hawksbill turtles. TRACC monitors nesting beaches, protects eggs, and supports hatchling releases to improve survival rates. Volunteers help identify individual turtles through photo-ID and tagging programs.
Crown-of-Thorns Starfish Control To protect vulnerable corals, TRACC organizes regular removal dives to control outbreaks of the crown-of-thorns starfish (COTs) — one of the reef’s most destructive natural predators.
Education & Capacity Building Through hands-on field training, TRACC empowers volunteers, local youth, and students to understand marine ecology and conservation science. The centre also runs a Cambridge A-Level Marine Science program and offers PADI dive courses up to Divemaster internships, combining diving skills with meaningful research.
Volunteers
At TRACC, volunteers are at the heart of everything.
Whether you stay for two weeks or several months, you become part of a living research and restoration team working beneath the waves of the Coral Triangle.
You’ll help rebuild coral reefs, monitor turtles, remove crown-of-thorns starfish, and collect valuable data for marine research. No previous experience is required — only a love for the ocean and a willingness to learn.
Many volunteers also complete PADI dive courses (from Open Water to Divemaster) or join marine science training programs, combining conservation with professional development.
Accommodation, meals, and dive gear are provided on Pom Pom Island, and every day brings new discoveries under water.
Get in touch to learn more.
