Coral Reef Assessment Completed Within Tañon Strait

Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR-7) through the Conservation and Development Division (CDD) has completed the assessment of some 3,378 hectares coral reef cover within the Tañon Strait Protected Seascape (TSPS).

This after a series of inventories and assessments were conducted to identify the current condition and composition of the flora and fauna in the coastal and underwater habitats in the region.

Flora and fauna in coastal and underwater habitats here comprise 113% of the 3,000 hectare target for 2015, said DENR-7 Officer-in-Charge, Chief Planning Management Division Dr. Eddie Llamedo

Llamedo said the assessment included the biophysical resources, mapping, and delineation of coral reef boundaries and installation of marker buoys.

DENR is tasked to manage the coastal and marine resources in the country.

The department has adopted the sustainable and ecosystem-based approach under the Sustainable Coral Reef Ecosystem Management Program (SCREMP), said Llamedo.

Under the SCREM program, proper management, protection and rehabilitation efforts were done for over 3,031 hectares coral reef areas within the network of TSPS (Negros Oriental and Cebu) and in Talibon, Bohol.

“We continue to try harder in our efforts to protect our coastal and marine ecosystems because once these coral reefs are damaged, they are less able to support the many creatures that inhabit them, which may cause more imminent damage or danger to the whole biodiversity, especially within the TSPS and other marine protected areas,” said DENR-7 Regional Director Dr. Isabelo Montejo.

Montejo added that the Tañon Strait is one of the world’s natural heritage and one of the country’s rich fishing grounds.

Tañon Strait was declared a protected seascape by virtue of Presidential Proclamation 1234 signed by then President Fidel Ramos on May 27, 1998 in recognition of its extraordinary abundance and diverse assemblage of dolphins, whales and other marine species, said Montejo.

To those areas identified as degraded and severely damaged coral reef areas, intensive protection measures were conducted such as re-stocking, removal of underwater debris and fixing of damaged settlement materials.

He also added that continuous human activities along crowded shorelines and marine-based pollution are some of the causes to the degradation of coral reefs.

He urged the public to become more serious in taking good care of marine resources.

Llamedo, on the other hand, disclosed that several activities were done to reinforce partnerships with local govenrment units (LGUs) and other stakeholders such as Information, Education and Communications Campaign for fisherfolks, trainings for 11 partner people’s organizations and LGUs, and signing of four Memorandum of Agreements (MOAs) on Marine Protected Areas Strengthening and Networking covering 4,250 hectares.

In support to the protection and rehabilitation of coral reef, the coastal communities along the area were mobilized through the provision of 12 sustainable livelihood projects namely; seven “bigasan” projects, one bangusan project, one fish cage project, one fish net project, a livestock dispersal (swine) project and a retail trade of fishing materials/paraphernalia, Llamedo said. (rmn/jsme/PIA7-Cebu with DENR7 report)