They’ve sailed across Southeast Asia for centuries. Now, these sea nomads are being forced to live on land | CNN

Bajau Laut is an indigenous seafaring group in Southeast Asia that has lived a semi-nomadic lifestyle on the ocean for centuries.

The over-exploitation of fish stocks in the region is being exacerbated by rising sea surface and ocean acidity leading to a loss of fish habitats.

As climate change threatens the marine environment more than ever, the traditions of the traditional lifestyle are quickly disappearing.

By 2010 , 68% of the coral reefs in Sabah had been damaged by cyanide fishing.

25% of Sabah ’s monitored reefs were disturbed by blast fishing.

Plastic pollution is also a growing problem, adding more pressure to an already fragile marine ecosystem.

Despite living in the region for decades , even centuries , many of the Bajau Laut in Semporna are “stateless’.

Imran Abbisi and Haikal Nukiman are stateless and live in Kampung Bangau Bangau , a water village near Semporna .

They have Bajau Laut ancestry but don’t want to follow in their parents’ and grandparents’ footsteps to spend their lives fishing.

The students have been heavily involved with the center’s turtle hatchery, which releases baby turtles back to the ocean.