Degradation of Philippine Marine Life

Geog 111

Feature World Rank

Coastline length

36,289 km 4th*

Total Territorial Water Area

2,200,000 km2 --

Coral reef area 27,000 km23rd**

(After Indonesia and Australia)

STATE OF THE PHILIPPINE WATERS:Facts and Figures

***World Atlas of Coral Reefs, prepared by the United Nations Environment Programme World Conservation Monitoring Centre (UNEP-WCMC)

Total territorial water exc. EEZ 2,200,200 km2

Coastal 266,000 km2

Shelf Area 184,600 km2

Coral Reef 27,000 km2

Mangrove 1,397 km2

Seagrass/algal beds 978 km2

Other Coastal 52,025 km2

Oceanic 17,460 km

Facts and Figures(by type of Marine Ecosystem)

Source: Padilla, J.E. (2008). Analysis of Coastal and Marine Resources: A Contribution to the Philippine Country Environmental Analysis. Retrieved from http://siteresources.worldbank.org/INTPHILIPPINES/Resources/WBCEAPhilCoastalandMarineSectorReportFINAL.pdf

Rank, worldwide, among fish-producing countries: 6th

Total production: 4.97 million metric tons

Fish

Crustaceans

Mollusks

Aquatic plants (including seaweeds): 3rd largest producer

Percent (%) of total world production: 3.12%

The Philippines: Facts

aquaculture1.4% of total global aquaculture productionworth US$ 1.58 billion

2,818 marine fish species

Corals: 307 genera

Mangroves: 307 genera

Seagrasses: 19 species

Underestimates!

Fauna in most locations not fully described

Philippine Species Diversity

Source: Padilla, J.E. (2008). Analysis of Coastal and Marine Resources: A Contribution to the Philippine Country Environmental Analysis. Retrieved from http://siteresources.worldbank.org/INTPHILIPPINES/Resources/WBCEAPhilCoastalandMarineSectorReportFINAL.pdf

Commercial value

Major Species Produced

FISHERIES

Harvest

Process

Market

Develop

Conserve& Manage

The sector engaged in the production, growing, harvesting, processing, marketing, developing, conserving and managing of aquatic resources and fisheries areas

Fisheries Industry

Source: Philippine Fisheries Code of 1998.

Fresh Agricultural and Fisheries Products

Agricultural and fisheries products

Natural state or habitat

Agricultural areas or bodies of water used for aquaculture.

Fisheries Products

Contribution to GDP:

2.2 - 4.4% (inflation-dependent)

24.4% of GDP derived from agriculture

How important is fisheries?

55%

33%

9%

3%

12%

% of Philippine GDP

Services

Industry

Agriculture (otherkinds)

Fisheries (as partof Agriculture)

Source: The Philippines Country Report, Global Finance Maghttp://www.gfmag.com/gdp-data-country-reports/198-the-philippines-gdp-country-

~3% contribution to PHL GDP

Philippine Fisheries: Growth Trends

(4.00)

(2.00)

-

2.00

4.00

6.00

8.00

10.00

-

200

400

600

800

1,000

1,200

1,400

1,600

1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011

"volume('000MT)" growth(%)

(20.00)

(15.00)

(10.00)

(5.00)

-

5.00

10.00

15.00

-

200

400

600

800

1,000

1,200

1,400

1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011

volume('000MT) growth(%)

-

2

4

6

8

10

12

14

16

18

20

-

500

1,000

1,500

2,000

2,500

3,000

1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011

volume('000MT) growth(%)

(6)

(4)

(2)

-

2

4

6

8

10

-

1,000

2,000

3,000

4,000

5,000

6,000

1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011

volume('000MT) growth(%)

Municipal

Commercial

Aquaculture

Total

Natural aggregation of coral skeleton

with or without living coral polyps

intertidal and subtidal marine waters

largest biogenic structures on the planet

CORAL REEFS

Right: Great Barrier Reef, Australia

support assemblages of living corals and many other organisms

Fish

Mollusks

Marine worms

Crustaceans

Algae

Sponges

Coral Reefs

“Tropical Rainforest of the Sea”

A single reef can support up to 3,000 species of marine life

Contributes 8-20% of the total fish caught/landed or an average of 15MT/sq. km

Coral Reefs

Source: BFAR Thrusts Powerpoint Presentation. BFAR Strategies to Ensure Sustainable and Inclusive Growthfor the Fisheries Sector, prepared by Information and Public Relations Group (Melannie R. Guerra)

Coral Reefs: Worldwide

This new map of coral reefs systems rates the reefs by their exposure to different stress factors. The exposure index ranges from 0-1, with green indicating sites with a low exposure index (most likely to benefit from management), and red indicating sites with a high exposure index (less likely to benefit from management

The Philippines has about 25,000 to

27,000 km2 coral reef areas

Annual economic benefits US$1.1

billion per year

But only about 5% are in good

condition, and only 1% in excellent

condition

Major threats are destructive fishing

practices including cyanide poisoning

and blast fishing; sediment spilling

into the sea due to deforestation and

urbanization; and climate change

Coral Reefs: Philippines

Coral reef conditions in the Philippines(Nanola et al, 2004)

1987 study:

25% of all municipal fish landings (equivalent to 250,000 metric tons per year) came from blast fishing

2002 study:

70% of Philippine coral reefs degraded

annual fisheries production was reduced by about 177,500 metric tons in the 1990s

Threats: Dynamite Fishing

Like Cambodia, China, and Japan, the Philippines shows over 70% of its reefs threatened and over 35% percent classified as high risk.

Regularly bombed reefs exhibit 50–80 percent coral mortality.

Over 2/3 of reefs in the Philippines are threatened by destructive fishing.

Threats: Dynamite Fishing

Trawl Nets

Muro-ami

Superlights

Threats: Fishing Malpractices

Deliberate disposal of waste at sea

Pollutants, mainly man-generated

Ballast water

Wastes soak up oxygen in the sea and release toxic chemicals

Ballast water may encourage proliferation of organisms that hamper the growth of naturally-occurring fishes

Threats: Ocean Dumping

Oil spills

Threats: Ocean Dumping

Impact: Coral bleaching

When under stress, corals may expel their zooxanthellae, which leads to a lighter or completely white appearance, termed 'bleached‘

Stress Factors:

High water temperatures

ocean acidification

Threats: Climate Change

CORAL TRIANGLE INITIATIVE

http://www.coraltriangleinitiative.org/

The Coral Triangle Initiative on Coral Reefs, Fisheries, and Food Security (CTI-CFF) is a multilateral partnership of six countries working together to sustain extraordinary marine and coastal resources by addressing crucial issues such as food security, climate change and marine biodiversity.

Coral Triangle Initiative:What is it?

Indonesia

Malaysia

Papua New Guinea

Philippines

Solomon Islands

Timor-Leste

Coral Triangle Initiative:Area Spanned, Component Countries

5.7 sq. km of ocean water

Contains at least 500 species of reef-building corals in each ecoregion

Global center of marine biodiversity

Resources sustain the lives of over 120 million people

WWF: Top priority for marine conservation

Coral Triangle:Why so special?

Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea in March 2009

living and non-legally binding document

conserve and sustainably manage coastal and marine resources within the Coral Triangle region

takes into consideration laws and policies of each country

CTI Regional Plan of Action

Sulu Sea, Philippines Discovered by divers in

the late 1970s composed of two huge

coral atolls and a smaller coral structure 20 km north of the atolls North Atoll South Atoll Jessie Beazley Reef

Our Own: TUBBATAHA REEF

10,000 hectares of coral reef

600 species of fish

360 species of corals (about half of all coral species in the world)

11 species of sharks

13 species of dolphins & whales

100 species of birds

Nesting Hawksbill & Green sea turtles.

Tubbataha Reef

Source: http://www.tubbatahareef.org

“Tubbataha” comes from the Samal language meaning “long reef exposed at low tide”

Visited often by Samals

Tubbataha Reef: History

1980s: Overfishing due to emergence of motorized boats

Became a fishing destination

Cyanide fishing

Dynamite fishing

In 1988, in response to a strong campaign by scuba divers and environmentalists, and with the endorsement of the Provincial Government of Palawan, then President Corazon Aquino declared Tubbataha as a national marine park – the first of its kind in the country.

Tubbataha Reef: Concerns

Source: http://tubbatahareef.org/wp/history

Tubbataha Reefs Natural Park:

97,030-hectare Marine Protected Area (MPA)

Palawan

Tubbataha Reefs Natural Park

A region in which human activity has been placed under some restrictions in the interest of conserving the natural environment

Idea similar to that of national parks

2.47% of Philippine territorial waters*

What is a marine protected area?

http://www.indexmundi.com/facts/philippines/marine-protected-areas

TUBBATAHA REEF: DISASTER

Tubbataha Reef Disaster: Details

January 17, 2:25 AM

USS Guardian, a United States minesweeper, ran aground

on Tubbata

“The ship had been transiting the Sulu Sea between the

southwest Philippines and Malaysia after a port visit to

Subic Bay. The ship was stuck about 80 miles east-

southeast of Palawan Island.” http://www.stripes.com/news/navy/sasebo-

based-navy-ship-runs-aground-off-philippine-coast-1.204215

As of January 19, 2013, 2/3 of the boat was submerged beneath the reef, according to WWF

Damage estimated at P12,000 per square meter

Will take more than 200 years for the reef to recover

Coral reefs take time to rehabilitate

Tubbataha Reef Disaster: Damage

MANILA, February 5, 2013 - Since the grounding of the USS Guardian on the Tubbataha Reef on January 17, a series of meetings between the Philippine Government and the United States (U.S.) Embassy officials have been held to discuss the incident. http://www.gmanetwork.com/news/story/293562/news/nation/joint-phl-us-statement-on-the-uss-guardian-grounding-on-tubbataha-reef

“the United States will provide appropriate compensation for damage to the reef caused by the ship” – Ambassador Harry K. Thomas, Jr. How can this damage be measured?

Tubbataha Reef Disaster: Liabilities

Philippine action: formation of the Maritime Casualty Investigation Team (MCIT) by the Philippine Coast Guard in accordance with its standard procedures and resolutions of the International Maritime Organization (IMO) on serious maritime incidents to establish the circumstances and causes of the grounding on Tubbataha Reef and to formulate safety measures to prevent a repetition of this incident.

Tubbataha Reef Disaster: Liabilities

In the meantime, the United States is coordinating closely with PCG in the salvage operation to extract the USS Guardian from the reef.

Tubbataha Reef Disaster: Liabilities

Act as nursery to young fish, crabs, prawns and a feeding ground to many economically important fish species

Protect coastal villages from waves and storms

MANGROVES

Source: BFAR Thrusts Powerpoint Presentation. BFAR Strategies to Ensure Sustainable and Inclusive Growthfor the Fisheries Sector, prepared by Information and

Public Relations Group (Melannie R. Guerra)

One hectare of mangroves generates 1,100 kg - 11,800 kg fisheries catch; with a market value of US$900 –US$12,400 per year

Mangroves: Resource Potential

Major causes of the decline in the Philippines:

Aquaculture

Timber and charcoal production

Human settlement

Salt pond construction

Industrialization

Pollution

Mangroves: Status

500

288

175140 138

117

0

100

200

300

400

500

600

1920 1970 1980 1988 1993 1995

MangroveArea(inthousandhectares)

Source: Melena, et.al., 2000

Mangrove resources decline in the Philippines

Department of Agriculture Administrative Order #6, Series of 1998. Implementing Rules and Regulations Pursuant to Republic Act 8435: An Act Prescribing Urgent Related Measures to Modernize the Agriculture and Fisheries Sector of the Country in order to Enhance their Profitability and Prepare Said Sector for the Challenges of Globalization Through An Adequate Focused and Rational Delivery of Necessary Support Services, Appropriate Funds Transfer, and for Other Purposes

Philippine Fisheries Code of 1998

Objectives

Principles Accorded To

Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR)

Under the Department of Agriculture

government agency responsible for the development, improvement, management and conservation of the country's fisheries and aquatic resources

Conservation Efforts

Resource enhancement

Conservation measures

Resource protection

BFAR’s Interventions

BFAR works together with local governments in order to make sure that the laws pertaining to the seas are implemented to their full strength.

Mangrove enhancement for

aquasilviculture

Mangroves can be managed

for silviculture and give annual

income up to $11,000/ha/yr

(Primavera, 1993).

At 3T mangrove trees per

hectare; the total expected

mangrove cover from 2011 to

2012 is estimated at 8,758 ha

BFAR: Resource Enhancement

Mangrove Propagules Planted

Mangrove Rehabilitation

Of the total cost of 8 pesos per

mangrove propagules planted, 6 pesos

will go directly to the participating

fisherfolk as additional income

The remaining 2 pesos will cover the

hiring of Community Organizers -

hence, jobs are also being generated.

BFAR: Resource Enhancement

Particulars Unit Cost

Mangrove propagule

P1.50

Planting (per pc.) P2.00

Survival (per pc.) P2.50

Administrative Cost (organizing, meetings and other related activities)

P2.00

Total P8.00

Sardine “closed season;” fishing bans

Seasonal closure to promote regrowth of fish populations

Expansion of sardine closure area to include Visayan Sea and the Burias Pass

Sardine production volume is expected to increase by 3-folds after 2 years of continuous compliance by commercial fishing vessels

Tuna catch is also expected to improve; the sardines being part of its food

BFAR: Conservation Measures

Apprehension and control over illegal harvesting and trade of precious corals

Minimization of overfishing and other forms of destructive fishing

Intensified monitoring, control and surveillance activities

BFAR: Resource Protection

The Bantay Dagat(Sea Patrol)

is a civilian fisheries

patrol force made up of

volunteers that try to keep a

24 hour watch on Philippine

coastal waters up to 15

kilometers from shore

To address lack of patrol

boats and other technical

equipment (e.g. GPS) in some

provinces

Bantay Dagat

Source: http://philippinenavy.tripod.com/bantay.html

While extremely helpful to provincial fisheries, many have risked their lives in the dangerous effort of pursuing fishermen who conduct illegal activities.

Bantay Dagat