LRCP Phase I

Collecting coral reef baseline data

LRCP Phase I

Collecting coral reef baseline data

The LRCP Phase I was undertaken between 2002 and 2012 and was founded on under the objective of assisting the Provincial Government of Southern Leyte (PGSL) in the conservation of the coral reefs of Sogod Bay for the long-term benefit and food-security of the residents of the Province.

From September 2002 to April 2004, the LRCP was based near the town of Malitbog, from where CCC dive teams assessed the north-eastern and north-western reefs. In May 2004, the project moved to the Municipality of Padre Burgos, from where the reefs of the southwest and Limasawa Island could be assessed. 

In April of 2008, the project site again moved, this time to Barangay Napantao, San Francisco Municipality, on the island of Panaon on the eastern side of Sogod Bay. From here, the remaining survey sites along the more remote south-eastern coastline of Sogod Bay were surveyed. 
Phase I of the LRCP was established on the following three strategies;

1 

Conservation education for the fisherfolk, schools, colleges, and Local Government Units (LGUs) of the Province

2

Capacity building of technical skills amongst the employees of the PGSL

3

Resource appraisal of the current status of the coral reefs of the bay

1 

Conservation education for the fisherfolk, schools, colleges, and Local Government Units (LGUs) of the Province

2

Capacity building of technical skills amongst the employees of the PGSL

3

Resource appraisal of the current status of the coral reefs of the bay

Methodology

Methodology

Developed for the assessment of biological and physical characteristics of reef communities by trained volunteer divers, the CCC Baseline Survey Technique had been continuously refined and improved since 1990. Following an intensive training programme, CCC’s techniques had been shown to generate precise and consistent data, appropriate for baseline mapping. 

Each survey provided one or more biological record forms which were, effectively, snapshots of the biological communities (benthic and reef fish) found within any particular reef zone.

The CCC Baseline Survey Technique utilised a series of plot-less transects, perpendicular to the reef, starting from the 24m contour and terminating at the reef crest or in very shallow water. Baseline surveys were undertaken every 500m along the coastline. Benthic and reef fish surveys were focused on life forms or families accompanied by a pre-selected number of target species that were considered to be abundant, easily identifiable or ecologically or commercially important. Each species, life form or substratum category within each habitat type encountered was assigned an abundance rating from the DAFOR scale.

Hard corals were recorded as life forms and 36 target corals were identified to genus or species level. Reef fishes were generally identified to the family level (45 families) but in addition, 104 important target species were also identified. Sponges and octocorals were recorded in various life form categories with macro-algae being classified into three groups (green, red and brown algae) and identified to a range of taxonomic levels such as life form, genus or species.
Survey location density within Sogod Bay during Phase I of the LRCP

Results

Results

We've included a summary of results here, but these are not all the results. You can download all the publications produced during Phase I below here, which will give you a complete oversight of the methods, results and recommendations, as well as the any outreach efforts undertaken during the phase. You can also use the form here to request any data from our Head of Science to support your work. 

257

species of hard coral identified

71%

of surveys recorded Favia spp., making it the most abundant species of hard coral

2%

of all survey sites were classed as 'excellent'

5%

of surveys recorded the abundance of Grouper
Overall, hard coral cover was higher towards the mouth of the bay, which may be linked to higher sediment input into the bay’s head in the north. Hard coral species diversity was very high in certain areas of the bay with a number of rare species recorded. 

A low abundance of commercially important fishes and invertebrate species indicated that there was severe over-fishing of the reef fish populations within Sogod Bay which followed the trend of fish stocks being considered to be both biologically and economically overfished in most areas of the Philippines. 

The high diversity and abundance of reef fish species and high live hard coral cover in existing fish sanctuaries, such as Napantao on the eastern coast of Sogod Bay and the four fish sanctuaries around Padre Burgos was highlighted as being encouraging but also extremely attractive to divers. The presence of Whale Sharks and other ‘megafauna’, such as turtles, sharks and marine mammals, indicated that there was great potential for coastal or dive related tourism in the area, assuming it is managed in a sustainable manner.

Utilising five ecological indices, CCC were able to undertake intra-site comparisons to highlight key areas of ecological importance; their Conservation Management Value (CMV). The indices were used to produce CMVs were live hard coral cover, total number of benthic targets, total number of reef fish, and the Shannon-Weiner Biodiversity index, for both benthic and reef targets. Areas of high Conservation Management Value are symbolised by green with areas considered as low, identified with red. 
Conservation Management Value (CMV) indices produced during Phase I of the LRCP. Green indicates areas considered as holding a high CMV.
Conservation Management Value (CMV) indices produced during Phase I of the LRCP. Green indicates areas considered as holding a high CMV.
Overall, hard coral cover was higher towards the mouth of the bay, which may be linked to higher sediment input into the bay’s head in the north. Hard coral species diversity was very high in certain areas of the bay with a number of rare species recorded. 

A low abundance of commercially important fishes and invertebrate species indicated that there was severe over-fishing of the reef fish populations within Sogod Bay which followed the trend of fish stocks being considered to be both biologically and economically overfished in most areas of the Philippines. 

The high diversity and abundance of reef fish species and high live hard coral cover in existing fish sanctuaries, such as Napantao on the eastern coast of Sogod Bay and the four fish sanctuaries around Padre Burgos was highlighted as being encouraging but also extremely attractive to divers. The presence of Whale Sharks and other ‘megafauna’, such as turtles, sharks and marine mammals, indicated that there was great potential for coastal or dive related tourism in the area, assuming it is managed in a sustainable manner.

Utilising five ecological indices, CCC were able to undertake intra-site comparisons to highlight key areas of ecological importance; their Conservation Management Value (CMV). The indices were used to produce CMVs were live hard coral cover, total number of benthic targets, total number of reef fish, and the Shannon-Weiner Biodiversity index, for both benthic and reef targets. Areas of high Conservation Management Value are symbolised by green with areas considered as low, identified with red. 
Phase I of the LRCP was a highly successful phase and provided local stakeholders, project partners and resource managers with the vital data required to understand the ecological status of the coral reefs found along their coastline. Furthermore, Phase I enabled CCC to progress, and utilise the data collected, to guide recommendations for the establishment of Marine Protected Areas; aiming protect, restore and promote coral reefs and their services.  

Publications

If you would like to request access to our publications and data for this phase of the project, please go here and use the contact form as guided. 
Please note: Further discussions may need to be held between yourself and the Head of Science regarding the use of our data. Due to the time scales, data may be in varying forms and accessible via different software. If you are unable to access the data, please let us know as soon as possible and we will try and assist. 
Please note: Further discussions may need to be held between yourself and the Head of Science regarding the use of our data. Due to the time scales, data may be in varying forms and accessible via different software. If you are unable to access the data, please let us know as soon as possible and we will try and assist. 
Share by: