Philippine Milestones on Coastal Marine Management

Philippine Milestones on
Coastal and Marine
2010
Global Conference on
Gl b l C f
Oceans, Coasts,

Biodiversity Management
and Islands
3-7 May 2010

Ms. Teresita Samson Castillo
Vice-Minister, Department of Environment and Natural Resources Philippines
p pp

Outline of Presentation
1. Marine Biodiversity in the Philippines
2. Major Threats to Coastal & Marine
2 M j Th t t C t l & M i
Biodiversity in the Philippines
3. Coastal & Marine Resources: Status &
Trends
4. Managing the Threats
5. Issues and Gaps (Challenges)
p ( g )
6. Future Plans/Recommendations

Marine Biodiversity in the Philippines
M i Bi di it i th Phili i
The Philippines, being situated at the
Philippines
apex of the coral triangle, is considered
to be the richest marine eco-region in
the
th world.
ld

NASA Blue Marble

M i Bi di it i th
Marine Biodiversity in the
Philippines
pp
Coastal and marine ecosystems
y
• Beaches
• mangrove forests
mangrove forests
• coral reefs
• seagrass beds
• soft‐bottom communities (especially estuaries)
• open marine waters and small islands
open marine waters and small islands

Major Threats to Coastal and
Marine Biodiversity in the
M B d h
Philippines

Coastal and Marine Resources of the Philippines

Major Threats to Marine Biodiversity
1. Human‐induced and direct stresses on species
and ecosystem biodiversity
and ecosystem biodiversity
• Overexploitation through unsustainable fishing
• Use of destructive fishing methods
• Deforestation
• Aquarium and souvenir trade
• Expanding human settlements
p g
• Coastal pollution
• Dredging and land reclamation
Dredging and land reclamation
• Coastal development

Coastal and Marine Resources of the Philippines


2. Climate change
• Coral bleaching
• S
Sea acidification and
idifi ti d
sea level rise—can
cause severe impacts
cause severe impacts
on marine biodiversity

Coastal and Marine
Resources/Ecosystem in the
R /E h
Philippines:
Status and Trends

STATUS OF PHILIPPINE COASTAL AND MARINE
RESOURCE/ECOSYSTEM

Status of Coral Reefs (as
of 2009):
f )
ｷ 468 species
scleractinian corals;

ｷ 50+ species soft corals;

ｷ 25,000 km2 estimated
cover, with most
diverse and most
extensive in the
southern and central
southern and central
parts of the country;

RESOURCE/ECOSYSTEM

Status of Coral Reefs:
ｷ Coral reefs contribute up to 70% of the
total fishery production; and

ｷ Small fishers who comprise about 62% of
the population living along coastal areas
the population living along coastal areas
are directly dependent on reefs for their
livelihood

RESOURCE/ECOSYSTEM

Issues on Coral Reefs:

ｷ Philippines is considered to be one
of the highly threatened reef areas
in the world
ｷ Philippine reefs may be in a
steady state of decline (from 5%
to 3% to >1%)
ｷ Widespread coral bleaching;
ｷ Invasive species and Crown of
Thorns starfish infestations

Excellent coral cover condition with several colonies of the
branching coral Acropora formosa (upper right) with foliose coral
Montipora foliosa

RESOURCE/ECOSYSTEM

Status of Seagrasses:
ｷ The Philippines has the
second highest seagrass
diversity in the world;
di it i th ld
ｷ It contributes about 19
species or about 55% of the
species or about 55% of the
number of species in East
Asia;
ｷ Seagrasses in the Philippines
are now distributed over an
area about 27,282 sq. m.
b 27 282

RESOURCE/ECOSYSTEM

Issues on Seagrasses:
ｷ decline in coastal water quality ;

ｷ degradation of environment and
g
resources; and

ｷ human‐induced
disturbances.

RESOURCE/ECOSYSTEM

Status of Fisheries:
ｷ Pelagic fish production contributed
70% of the country’s total marine
capture fisheries;

ｷ Fisheries production shows
continuing upward trend, with
significant contribution of the
significant contribution of the
aquaculture and mariculture sectors,
particularly seaweeds.

ｷ Recent data on exploitation rates of
p ( pp )
selected fish species (n= 129 spp.)
showed high extraction patterns

RESOURCE/ECOSYSTEM
Mangroves: Status and
Issues
ｷ Th i
There is a significant
i ifi t
decline in mangrove forest
cover due to the
cover due to the
conversion of mangrove
forests to fishponds;
ｷ Mangrove forest areas
were issued with Fishpond
Leasing Agreements in
Leasing Agreements in
1973‐2002, causing a
g g
significant damage to the
ecosystem.

RESOURCE/ECOSYSTEM

Other Marine Resources: Status
ｷ 5 species of Marine Turtles are found
in the Philippines;
ｷ 1755 reef‐associated fish species
ｷ 168 species of cartilaginous fishes ;
ｷ 820 species of algae;

STATUS OF PHILIPPINE COASTAL AND
MARINE RESOURCE/ECOSYSTEM

Other Marine Resources: Status
ｷ 648 species of mollusks;
648 species of mollusks;
ｷ 1062species of seaweeds
including sea algae; and
i l di l d
ｷ 27 species of marine mammals
have been classified as
threatened species)
Phil. Website
From WWF-P

Coastal and Marine
Resources/Ecosystem in the
R /E h
Philippines:
Managing the Threats

Managing Threats: Coastal & Marine Resources/
Ecosystem Conservation and Management
E t C ti dM t

Integrated Coastal Management (ICM) ‐
Integrated Coastal Management (ICM) ‐
national strategy for the sustainable
development of the country’s coastal and
p f y
marine environment and resources
‐ addresses the interlinkages among
addresses the interlinkages among
associated watersheds, estuaries and
wetlands, and coastal seas, and also
among all relevant national and local
agencies, civil society, and the private
sectors

Managing Threats: Coastal & Marine Resources/ Ecosystem
Conservation and Management
Integrated Coastal Management (ICM) –

Involves Action Plans/Strategies on the ff:
I l A i Pl /S i h ff
•Habitat Management
•Fisheries Management
•Fisheries Management
•Shoreline management
g
•Waste Management
•Enterprise and Livelihood Development
•Sustainable Coastal Tourism
•Coastal Zoning
•Legal and Institutional Development
•Risk/coastal hazard management
•Risk/coastal hazard management

CURRENT CONSERVATION STATUS
(included in the ICM Implementation Program)

1. Mangrove management
g g
282,044 ha total mangrove forest cover
as of 2009. (Still subjected to ground validation)
as of 2009. (Still subjected to ground validation)
Mangrove Nursery Establishment and
Reforestation
Identification of areas for rehabilitation
in priority municipalities
in priority municipalities
2009 – 2,000 ha. (Upland Development Program)
2010 – 7,500 ha. ( DENR GPOA)


1. Mangrove management
PAWB‐CMMO, together with the
PAWB CMMO together with the
other concerned bureaus/
agencies, are currently reviewing
existing policies and laws
concerning mangrove. Guidelines
for proper and effective
for proper and effective
mangrove rehabilitation and
validation are also currently being
developed.
d l d

2. Establishment of MPAs to increase fish stocks
Mandated by Republic Act 7586
Mandated by Republic Act 7586
or the NIPAS Act or through
R.A. 8550 (Fisheries Code)
via local ordinance.
i l l di

serve as an important strategy
for ICM in the Philippines

Formulation of MPA Management Plans
Formulation of MPA Management Plans

1,169 existing MPAs and 164 proposed MPAs as of
1 169 existing MPAs and 164 proposed MPAs as of
2007 compared to 439 existing and 139 proposed a
decade ago
Occupy 0.5% of municipal waters and 2.7‐
Occupy 0.5% of municipal waters and 2.7‐3.4% of coral
reef area of the country
MPAs: significant increase in size (48% within the
range of 11 to 100 hectares)

i.e. Status of Reef fishes in MPAs vs in Unprotected
Areas
Tubbataha Reefs (MPA)
in the 1990s – 87 tons/km2
/
in the 2000s – 100‐200 tons/km2
Central Visayas
Protected Marine Areas
P t t dM i A
1990s‐2000s – 100‐150 tons/km2
Several Unprotected Areas
1990s‐2000s – 5‐15 tons/km2 (n=20)
1990s‐2000s 5‐15 tons/km (n=20)


3. Conservation of coastal habitats and other marine
resources
National Policy on Biological diversity is being
implemented throughout the country,
implemented throughout the country,
Seagrass Conservation Strategy‐‐ Philippine National
Seagrass Conservation Strategy and Action Plan (NSCS)
g gy ( )
by Philippine National Seagrass Committee

3. Conservation of coastal habitats
and other marine resources

Marine Turtles Conservation

DENR‐PAWB Pawikan Conservation
Project (PCP) Developmental and
foraging habitats of marine turtles are
foraging habitats of marine turtles are
being proposed for declaration as Critical
Habitats pursuant to Republic Act 9147 or
the Wildlife Resources Conservation and
Protection Act of 2001.


4. Adaptation strategies of the coastal and marine
sector to climate change

The UNDP‐managed joint program on Strengthening
the Philippines’ Institutional Capacity to Adapt to
the Philippines’ Institutional Capacity to Adapt to
Climate Change (2008‐2010)

Development of national framework strategies for
climate change


4. Adaptation strategies of coastal and marine

Proposed full protection and management of at least
Proposed full protection and management of at least
30% of the coastal and marine ecosystems to increase
resilience of coastal environment against climate change
Set up marine reserve networks
Substantially reduce human‐related stressors


5. Participation in different local/ internationally‐
funded project and adherence to international
commitments

ISSUES and GAPS

Coastal & Marine Resources/ Ecosystem
“The Philippines does however, have the most progressive
programs for public awareness and introduction to
programs for p blic a areness and introd ction to
participatory management for the coastal areas in the
region. The Philippines has all the tools to be a model in
Asia, but continuity and political will appear to be
absent in the system.”
‐‐Flewelling (2001),
l lli ( )
(describing the monitoring, control and surveillance
(MCS) system in the Philippines

ISSUES and GAPS


1. Biodiversity Data Gaps
• Inadequate comprehensive data to better
understand the state biodiversity of the
selected coastal and marine ecosystems

2.
2 Low utilization of research output
ili i f h

ISSUES and GAPS


3. Need to develop a more effective
Need to develop a more effective
implementation strategy of national laws and
policies affecting the species and ecosystem
diversity
4. Capacity Building and Resource generation;
education-awareness, conservation ethics
d ti ti thi
and perceptions

ISSUES and GAPS

5. Need for a more aggressive strategy to fully
implement coastal laws, rules and regulations

6. Lack of land‐based livelihood projects to limit
6 k f l d b d li lih d j li i
extraction/utilization of marine products
thereby giving chance for coastal habitats to
thereby giving chance for coastal habitats to
recover

ISSUES and GAPS


7. More focus on education‐awareness,
conservation ethics and perceptions

Future Plans/
Recommendation

Recommendations

Harmonization of efforts, sustained management
interventions and stakeholder support are keys to
pp y
save the coastal ecosystem

Comprehensive monitoring and evaluation of
protected area management and other policies
Integration of biodiversity conservation and
sustainable use in the school curricula at all levels

Recommendations

Efficient and effective information dissemination
Exploration of innovative financing options
E l ti fi ti fi i ti
Reduction of coastal and marine emerging
pressures through adaptive management

Philippine Milestones on Coastal Marine Management

Philippine Milestones on Coastal Marine Management

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