Project update - Southern Leyte Coral Reef Conservation Project (Philippines) - January 2005
Added to website: 01 January 2005
Project Brief
Aim
The Southern Leyte Coral Reef Conservation Project is a three-year collaborative project (2002-2005), to survey the coral reefs of Sogod Bay. The programme provides training and conservation education opportunities for local Filipinos, as part of an integrated programme to develop local capacity and ensure the long-term protection and sustainable use of marine resources throughout the region.
Location
Sogod Bay, Southern Leyte, South-Eastern Philippines.
CCC Partners
CCC is working at the invitation of and in partnership with the Provincial Government of Southern Leyte and the Philippine Reef & Rainforest Conservation Foundation Inc (PRRCFI).
Marine Science Programme
Baseline Surveys
Our baseline surveying programme is designed to gather data about the biological and morphological standing of Sogod Bay. These data are combined with information on human and natural impacts on the reefs, along with oceanographic data, to ultimately produce a Geographical Information System ‘map’ of the various habitats of the bay. It is like a ‘stock-take’of the current marine resources, which is being produced to provide policymakers and concerned institutions with information necessary to effectively manage those resources. To date, the northern end of Sogod Bay has been surveyed, and the remainder of the project will concentrate on the south and Limasawa Island. If you would like more information on our surveying rationale or methodology, please don’t hesitate to contact our Project Scientist.
Number of transects completed
Transects 0501F, 0502A, 0502B, 0502C, 0503A, 0503B, 0503C, 0503D, 0505A, 0505B, 0505C, 0506A, 0506B, 0506C, 0506D.
Reef Check
Based at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), ReefCheck is the name of both the world’s largest coral reef monitoring network and of the common methodology used, allowing the comparison of results from various locations worldwide. Although less detailed than CCC’s baseline surveys, the ReefCheck method is effective for monitoring changes in reef health over time. In order to do this, we mark the survey ‘transect’ with metal stakes, to ensure that repeat surveys are in the same place each time. These stakes are sited in rock, dead coral or sand for minimal disruption of the fragile reef system. CCC is proud to be a major contributing member of ReefCheck. Check out their site at www.ReefCheck.org
Reef Check monitoring sites are being set up in all the proposed fish sanctuaries around Padre Burgos so that their progress can be recorded as the sanctuaries are established and monitored in the future.
Environmental Awareness
Capacity Building/Training of Local Counterparts
Our Project Scientist accompanied Provincial Government employees as they assessed two established fish sanctuaries in the Municipality of Libagon as well as checking a potential site for another fish sanctuary. Fish sanctuaries are an effective means of improving fish stocks for local fishermen by protecting a small area from all fishing. As the fish in the sanctuary increase in numbers they begin to spill over into the surrounding waters, increasing the number and size of fish available for fishermen to catch. Both of the established sanctuaries assessed here were showing signs of increasing fish numbers, as well as recovery of the corals which are an important habitat for fish and are often damaged by fishing. CCC aims to train more government employees (Provincial, Municipal and Barangay) in diving and marine resource assessment to allow continued monitoring of the marine resources of Southern Leyte in the future.
CCC continues to assist the municipal government of Padre Burgos as they establish four fish sanctuaries in their waters. This month CCC staff, accompanied by representatives from the municipal government and barangay councils, conducted several dives to measure the depths of the corners of the proposed sanctuaries in Tangkaan, Buenavista and Sta. Sofia. This information helped in the completion of a proposal for establishing permanent buoys to mark the sanctuaries.
A CCC representative also attended a Fish Sanctuary Orientation Seminar in Barangay Lungsodaan, organised by the PCRMO and the Municipal Agricultural Office of Padre Burgos. We are always keen to assist with any such events and contribute to the education of local people and organisations.
Upcoming Events
An open day has been arranged for school children from Libagon during the month of February, and more such events are planned for the coming months. Open days give children the opportunity to learn about marine ecology and conservation as they visit our CCC base in Padre Burgos. In addition to talks, videos and demonstrations, children can participate in beach cleanups and may even get the chance to go snorkelling and see the marine world for themselves.
