Philippines: Corporate sponsors save vulnerable coral reefs

Gregg Yan Malaya 19 Aug 11;

Great reefs provide the seeds that make the seas around Western Visayas, Palawan, and Mindoro teeming with marine life. More than that, they provide food and livelihood for some 40 million people each year.

The great reefs of Tubbataha and Apo are part of the Coral Triangle, some 5.7 million square kilometers of the most productive reefs in six Southeast Asian countries with the Philippines at the apex.

Of all the coral reefs in the region, Tubbataha and Apo are the largest and most productive.

Since 2007, Apo Reef – west of Sablayan, Occidental Mindoro – has been proclaimed a no-fishing zone; Tubbataha Reefs off Palawan followed later.

Because of the no fishing policy at Apo Reef, Asia’s largest, overall coral growth has steadily improved from less than 33 percent in 1994 to 52 percent today.

Apo Reef is home to almost 200 species of soft and hard coral, 385 species of fish as well as the thresher and hammerhead sharks, manta rays, sperm whales, dolphins and sea turtles.

Because of the same no fishing policy, the fish population at Tubbataha is now over 200 tons per square kilometer, five times greater than the productivity of a typical healthy reef. The fish population has remained stable for over a decade now.

Tubbataha is host to over 600 kinds of fish living in nearly 400 types of soft and hard coral. It is home to eight breeding seabird, 13 marine mammal, 11 shark and two sea turtle species.

All these are significant, considering that less than 30 percent of the Coral Triangle are in good condition and in fact are among the world’s most threatened coral reefs. Indeed, only 1 percent – including parts of Apo and Tubbataha – remains pristine.

"Few reefs within the Coral Triangle come close to the biological productivity of Tubbataha," says Lory Tan, Vice-Chair and CEO of World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF-Philippines) which, together with Cebu Pacific Air and the towns of Sablayan, Occidental Mindoro, and Cagayancillo, Palawan, has put in place measures to protect the reefs.

Donations from thousands of Cebu Pacific passengers have made possible the better protection of the great reefs.

"The Bright Skies program is Cebu Pacific’s commitment to promote responsible flying and protect the Philippines’ largest coral reefs," says Cebu Pacific President and CEO Lance Gokongwei.

Since 2008, online donations to the Bright Skies program reached over P17 million.

From January 2010 to May 2011 alone, donations to the Bright Skies program helped conduct more than 300 patrol days; apprehend 15 violators; involve and engage 85 crew on motorized fishing boats; file four criminal cases; and maintain the Apo Reef Natural Park and the Tubbataha Reefs.

Other corporate sponsors have thrown their weight behind coral reef conservation.

The Grieg Shipping Group and the Grieg Foundation through WWF-Norway are funding the refitting of the M/Y Navorca which provides transportation services for WWF-Philippines’ support for conservation initiatives in the Sulu Sea, particularly in the Tubbataha Reefs Natural Park and the island municipality of Cagayancillo.

The vessel is crucial in obtaining data needed to protect the Tubbataha Reefs. Modifications include improved propulsion systems to maximize fuel consumption and increase speed, a brand-new fiberglass coating for the vessel’s hull and upgrades for navigational, communications and safety equipment.

"These upgrades are absolutely vital in ramping-up WWF’s research and enforcement efforts for the Sulu Sea," explains WWF-Philippines Tubbataha Reefs Project Manager Marivel Dygico. "To deal with mounting threats, we must increase our capabilities. Upgrading the M/Y Navorca is a crucial first step for us to do this."

Acquired in 2008, M/Y Navorca is equipped with navigational and communications equipment and has been providing safe passage for research, expeditions, educational tours and rescue operations.

In 2010, M/Y Navorca was involved in eight research trips, one each for cetaceans, sharks, seabirds, fish, coral, marine turtles, Crown-of-Thorns seastars and gastropods.

Her crew installed mooring buoys and launched two expeditions and several short trips within Puerto and Honda Bays to develop a two-day, two-night live-aboard educational tour package which features dolphin watching, snorkeling and island-hopping.

M/Y Navorca is slated for similar trips in 2011. Surveys to be undertaken include climate change vulnerability assessments for both Tubbataha and Cagayancillo isles, seabird, fish, coral and Crown-of-Thorns seastars monitoring surveys and further installation of mooring buoys. WWF