Southern Coral Reef Conservation

Project (SLCRCP)

Monthly Project Update

April 2012

Location: Napantao Dive Resort, Napantao, San Francisco,

Project Scientist: Joe Wilkinson

SLRCP Project Aim The Southern Leyte Coral Reef Conservation Project (SLCRCP) is a Contents collaborative project to survey the coral reefs of . The  Latest news programme provides training and conservation education opportunities for local Filipinos, as part of an integrated programme to develop local  Educational Activities capacity and ensure the long-term protection and sustainable use of marine resources throughout the region. Coral Cay Conservation (CCC)  Community Work is working at the invitation of and in partnership with the Provincial Government of Southern Leyte and the Philippine Reef & Rainforest  Survey Update

Conservation Foundation Inc (PRRCFI). Coral Cay Conservation provides  Marine Creature of the the resources to help sustain livelihoods and alleviate poverty through month the protection, restoration and management of coral reefs and tropical forests.

Latest News

Throughout April, Coral Cay volunteers conducted scientific monitoring surveys of the Marine Protected Area (MPA) around the east of Island. Limasawa Fish Sanctuary, installed in November of 2008, is the largest MPA within Sogod Bay and contains some of the best dive sites the Province has to offer as well as being renowned for sightings of the mysterious

Thresher Sharks that frequent the Coral Cay staff and volunteers count and measure deeper reefs around the island. CoTs after a mornings clean up so as to monitor outbreak levels in the area. Coral Cay has also continued its involvement in the removal of Crown of Thorns Starfish (CoTs) after the outbreak of these coral feeders within Sogod Bay continues to be a serious threat. Currently, the greatest threat is at Limasawa Island where thousands of individuals are encroaching on

Southern Leyte Reef Conservation Project , April, 2012

the beautiful MPA there. CoTs eat corals and when they reach outbreak level, they can threaten the coastal marine ecosystem. As such, our team has been working closely with local dive shops as well as members of the Local Governing Unitst and Provincial Government of Southern Leyte towards mitigation of the problem by actively removing the CoTs.

Education and Community Projects

Earth Day Celebrations 2012

On the 19th of April, Coral Cay Education Officer, Heather Murray, conducted a presentation on Coastal resource management as part of an Earth Day protection awareness evening, Liloan, organized by local environmental group ‘Igno’. The aim of the evening was to provide information on protection of the earth’s resources followed by an environmental film showing. In her presentation, Heather emphasised practical actions which help decrease damage to the ocean, such as, utilizing natural cleaning products around the home, ensuring that chemicals are never disposed of in the sea, and reducing plastic waste by taking a personal containers to the Education Officer, Heather Murray and Medical supermarket. Officer, Amelia Wilkinson head the Earth Day

2012 parade around central Liloan.

The following day Coral Cay volunteers participated in an Earth day parade in central Liloan, to showcase environmental protection posters made by local youth. The parade ended with a serious Coastal clean up from the ferry port of central Liloan to the sea wall. Plastic wrappers, polystyrene, small particles of hard plastic, wire, bottles, and shopping bags filled 16 large plastic oil drums. The clean up was a grave reality check for everyone that proper solid waste management is vital, but it has to start with changes in the home – reducing personal waste and never throwing rubbish on the Coral Cay Conservation volunteers put in the hard ground. yards to remove countless plastic wrappers and rubbish from the shoreline of Liloan.

Southern Leyte Reef Conservation Project Philippines, April, 2012

Barangay Calian Environmental Day

On the 25th of April, Coral Cay volunteers joined an environmental day at Calian, organized by the student leaders of the Barangay. The volunteers participated in a coastal clean up around the foreshore and sea wall, and then a well earned swim with all the local kids. Later in the afternoon Education Officer, Heather Murray, and Community Liaison Officer, Dag Navarrete, returned to help plant around 150 mangroves in the area in front of the sea wall. Two other volunteers then joined Heather Coral Cay Conservation volunteers help out at and Dag’s for a marine Barangay Calian coastal clean up 25 April 2012. conservation film showcase at the Barangay basketball court in the evening. The audience of around 300 also enjoyed a slide show Heather had prepared of marine animal pictures taken by Coral Cay volunteers from the reefs around San Francisco and Liloan.

Marine Creature of the Month! This month’s marine creature of the month is Antennarius maculatus – the Warty Frogfish. Frog fish, also known as anglerfish, are globular in shape with large, extremely downturned mouths which can be opened as wide as their body to engulf prey. They use their pectoral fins as hand-like appendages to grasp, perch or walk. The first dorsal spine is located on the snout and has evolved into a thin, stalk-like structure tipped with a lure. This lure is wiggled energetically like a casting rod to attract its prey. Frogfish are masters of camouflage and can slowly change colours to match various backgrounds. Photo: Weldon Reece

Southern Leyte Reef Conservation Project Philippines, April, 2012

Survey Update

Survey background: Our baseline-surveying programme is designed to gather data about the biological and morphological standing of Sogod Bay. This data is combined with information on human and natural impacts on the reefs, along with oceanographic data, to ultimately produce a Geographical Information System ‘map’ of the various habitats of the bay. It is like a ‘stock-take’ of the current marine resources, which is being produced to provide policymakers and concerned institutions with information necessary to effectively manage those resources. To date the northern end of Sogod Bay has been surveyed and the remainder of the project will concentrate on the south including and Limasawa Island.

Coral Cay volunteers have been conducting scientific surveys of the coral reefs throughout the municipalities of , Liloan and Limasawa within Sogod Bay as well as Bahay on the Pacific side of Panaon Isl. The work has focused around the monitoring of existing no-take marine protected areas (MPAs) inside and outside the protected zone in order to assess their effectiveness in terms of protecting reefs as well as replenishing fish stocks. Baseline surveys are also conducted to provide the data necessary to initiate legislation for further protection of the reef ecosystem.

This month, we have been focusing our survey efforts on the MPA at Limasawa Island. The sanctuary here is nearly two kilometres long and requires extensive surveying to help obtain an accurate assessment of the diversity and biomass, both within and outside the MPA. So far, we have observed dramatic walls with dense hard and soft coral coverage. The fish biomass appears heavy and is a good sign that the MPA here is being managed well, allowing fish stocks to grow and provide a steady ‘spill-over’ for local fisherfolk using traditional fishing methods just outside the sanctuary. However, crown of thorns starfish (CoTs) provide a constant threat in this area as they eat through large amounts of hard coral leaving unsightly scars and result in dramatic reduction in reef health.

The map depicted above summarises the locations of MPA surveys completed this year.

Southern Leyte Reef Conservation Project Philippines, April, 2012

Marine Scholarship News

Each month, Coral Cay Conservation offers Filippino nationals who display an ambition to study and help conserve the coastal ecosystems of the Philippines an opportunity to take part as a counterpart in our Marine Conservation Scolarship Programme. The programme takes place over four weeks and involves training in SCUBA diving up to PADI Advanced Open Water Diver. They then take part in an intensive 2-week Science Development Programme, giving the scholar the knowledge and expertise needed to conduct scientific surveys of coral reefs.

This month, Coral Cay hosted a particularly special counterpart. Honerable Provincial Board Member Daisy Gamale joined us for a full month despite her busy schedule. She worked very hard and showed a wonderful passion for the conservation of the vast yet highly threatened marine resources found right here in Southern Leyte. She is now fully validated and returns to her role in the Provicial Government determined to use her newly gained knowledge to make a real difference in the way precious marine resources are used, managed and conserved. One of the first steps she wants to take is to bring together past Coral Cay scholars and create an MPA monitoring team to support the development and adaptvie management of a network of community led MPAs around the province.

I have seen and met people before telling me how they care about conserving marine biodiversity, but I have felt the true passion and compassion of not just caring but doing the conservation through the entire staff and volunteers of CCC. Thank you for choosing my country, my province, to be part of your life!

Daisy Gamale – Provincial Government of Southern Leyte Board Member

Learn More! To learn more about the CCC Philippines project, to join the expedition, or to find out about local Marine Scholarships, visit www.coralcay.org.