UK native James Morgan was studying photography in London when he read about a group of seafaring Southeast Asian nomads who had survived the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami with almost no casualties.

The Sama Dilaut (also known as Bajau Laut) are a largely stateless maritime community living in the coastal region of the east Malaysian state of Sabah.

The Bajau Laut are highly dependent on marine resources both for family consumption and sale. Fishing and gleaning is a way of life for this community and defines their socio-economic and cultural well-being.

Fishing and gleaning in the area now within the 350km Tun Sakaran Marine Park has caused stocks of reef fish and other edible species to fall to low levels. Efforts are now being made to reduce exploitation of marine resources in order to protect biodiversity and allow stocks to recover.