Hope in Tubbataha -2

Working underwater is a difficult experience especially when you see large barracudas and sharks passing by. There was a continuous temptation to just drop the work and go sightseeing. But the dedication and the professionalism of the WWF staff were infectious. The expedition leader and WWF-Palawan’s research director was Kaila Ledesma, an inspiring young biology graduate and a Jennifer Lopez lookalike. Assisting us were consultants from UP’s Marine Science Institute, Mags Quibilan and Rene Abesamis.

Transect

Once we found the sites, we employed different research methods to monitor the reef’s conditions. We laid a 100-meter long measuring tape called a "transect" along the bottom of the dive site permanently marked with concrete slabs. The fish census-takers swam along this line, counting all the fish they saw within a specific area and (get this) estimated the weight of each specimen. The coral guys in the meantime took note of all the corals and life forms that lay under the transect line. Coral colonies were measured and tagged for future comparisons.

Another favorite method was the "manta tow." Using snorkeling gear, we hung on to this wooden board attached to a tow rope pulled by a dinghy. Every two minutes, the boat would stop and you would write your observations of the reef’s condition on the slate attached to the board. It’s very much like fishing except that you’re the bait. During the expedition, we did countless tows spending sometimes up to three hours in the water. In the end we felt like tea bags. It was during one of those tows that I met that mischievous shark.

The sun was setting on the last day of the expedition as the Minerva made its way back to Puerto Princesa. I glanced back at the reef, its green shadow growing smaller and smaller as the skies around us turned orange and red. The memories of our glorious week of diving flashed through my mind. I remembered the time one of our boat tenders saw a spouting whale. During a manta tow, a large spotted eagle ray appeared out of nowhere and stopped to observe us. In one of our dives, a huge school of jacks surrounded us as we worked. We saw a sleeping shark being harassed by mischievous jacks. Turtles glided around the reef crest when we surveyed the island. Some of these turtles allowed us to come so near we could touch their carapace. I remember the time boobies (sea birds) would land on our boat not 10 feet away from where we sat. It struck me on how different wildlife behaves in this marine sanctuary. For many of these animals in Tubbataha, man is a non-threatening visitor, a part of the ecosystem. Elsewhere in this country, the animals know man only as a hunter, a dangerous predator that must avoided at all costs.

Preservation

So I did prove to myself several things. There are many things people can still do to preserve the environment. For one thing, despite being 100 km from the nearest land, plastic trash is still a common site along the waters of Tubbataha. The next time you throw a plastic bag into the sea, remember that you could be killing a turtle that mistakes your plastic bag for a jellyfish. Another way people can help is to actually visit the park. Visitors pay a fee that helps defray the cost of managing the marine park.

The annual studies being conducted by WWF shows evidence that the reef is on a rebound. Everywhere you look you see new corals growing amid the old rubble. Even the fish studies indicate modest increases in number and weight. If people would only put their hearts and minds into it, more marine parks can be created around the country in the mold of Tubbataha. I guess my biggest realization is that there is hope for Tubbataha and the rest of the environment.