REEF Project: Replicating the success of the Great Barrier Reef

The Great Barrier Reef in Australia is considered the world’s largest coral reef system. It is home to the highest marine biodiversity in the planet. Every diver’s dream is to explore this great reef because of its pristine and diverse plant and animal ecosystem, and its beautiful coral system which CNN cited as one of the "seven natural wonders of the World."

The Australian government’s huge effort to protect this World Heritage site can be replicated in other marine sanctuaries around the world. The establishment of the Great Barrier Marine Park is paramount to the success of the reef’s preservation and development.

In the Philippine setting, a large percentage of coastal communities are facing the alarming decrease of fish within their municipal waters. Elevated levels of water pollution coming from industrial and household wastes, coupled with the irresponsible harvesting of the sea has led to a disturbing decline of marine resources. Riddled with difficulties, a lot of fisher folk have chosen to deviate from their vocation and work as employees or construction workers.

"To fish nowadays, we have to travel seven to eight kilometers away," said Prisco Marquez, a barangay councilor of Santo Domingo in Bauan, Batangas. "There was a time when we could fish practically in front of our own house and we’d get enough to feed the family as well as to sell in the market," he added.

DAMAGED REEFS

Marquez admitted that their community is aware that their heavily damaged reefs bring about the decline of produce from the sea. "The fish has nowhere to live in anymore and they have fled our waters."

He was doubly saddened to admit that the Bauan shoreline was noted to have had quite a healthy eco-reef system in the early 1990s before it suffered from the influx of industrial activities and abuse of fishing methods by the locals.

VERDE ISLAND

Not more than 12 kilometers away by sea, Barangay Verde Island in Batangas City was recently hailed as the "center of the center" of marine biodiversity of the world by a joint study of the World Conservation Union and America’s Smithsonian Institute.

This connotes that the country has surpassed the Great Barrier Reef of Australia in terms of variety of species of shoreline fishes.

This achievement did not come effortlessly however, and residents of the five barangays of Verde Island testify.

" It took some time before we convinced all strategic barangays to put aside interest for personal gain and to work together as one coastal community," admits San Agapito barangay captain Dominador Calaluan. "We also needed a lot of support from the government, and of course, non-government organizations as well."

Conservation International (CI) and First Philippine Conservation (FPC) were the NGOs referred to by the official. The two organizations have assisted Verde Island in strengthening their community in advocating for the conversion of the Verde Passage into a Marine Protected Area.

MISSION MOST POSSIBLE

The communities in Bauan are now looking towards Verde Island as a model of what they want for their own waters. To learn more about how the barangays of Batangas City has brought about the ecological wonder, representatives from three barangays in Bauan and the municipal government joined a "Lakbay Aral" to Verde Island last June 6 and 7. The study tour is part of the Reef Ecosystem Enhancement Flagship Project (REEF Project) being implemented by the Philippine Business for Social Progress (PBSP) for Dow Chemical Pacific Limited, one of its member companies with a strong environment advocacy.

PBSP partnered with CI and FPC to ensure that the study tour will cover the marine protection initiatives of the island’s communities and the NGOs. The tour also includes an orientation on coastal management as well as the processes involved in advocating for a marine protected area.

"The REEF Project aims to revive the reef ecosystem of the Bauan shoreline. We are doing this by raising the awareness of the coastal communities, convincing them that their municipal waters can be and ought to be saved, and capacitating them to manage their own coastal waters," PBSP program officer Terteen Omaña said. "This partnership with CI and FPC is our means of proving to the members of the community that it can be done; and with their strong commitment and ownership of the project, it is possible."

The participants seemed to be convinced. "What we’re about to do really looks hard," says San Andres Uno Barangay Capt. Hilario Gelera. "But if they can do it, we can do it too."

Through the REEF Project, two artificial reefs made of concrete were already deployed in two barangays in Bauan. After just five months, both reefs now house a variety of fishes.

"Nagbalikbayan na sila," quipped one of the municipal officers of Bauan.

Another set of artificial reefs will be deployed this month. Barangay officials and residents will also be undergoing a series of trainings on community-based resource management and advocacy for marine protected areas.