Linapacan Municipality

BASELINE REPORT ON COASTAL RESOURCES for Linapacan Municipality September 2006 Prepared for: PALAWAN COUNCIL FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT Palawan Center for Sustainable Development Sta. Monica Heights, Puerto Princesa City, Palawan, Philippines 5300 Email: [email protected] Tel.: (63-48) 434-4235, Fax: 434-4234 Funded through a loan from : JAPAN BANK FOR INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION Prepared by: PACIFIC CONSULTANTS INTERNATIONAL in association with ALMEC Corporation CERTEZA Information Systems, Inc. DARUMA Technologies Inc. Geo-Surveys & Mapping, Inc. Photo Credits: Photos by PCSDS and SEMP-NP ECAN Zoning Component Project Management Office This report can be reproduced as long as the convenors are properly acknowledged as the source of information Reproduction of this publication for sale or other commercial purposes is prohibited without the written consent of the publisher. Printed by: Futuristic Printing Press, Puerto Princesa City, Philippines Suggested Citation: PCSDS. 2006. Baseline Report on Coastal Resources for Linapacan Municipality, Palawan Council for Sustainable Development, Puerto Princesa City, Palawan TABLE OF CONTENTS List of Tables v List of Figures vi List of Plates ix EXECUTIVE SUMMARY xi CHAPTER I: CORAL REEFS 1 1.0 Introduction 1 2.0 Materials and Methods 1 3.0 Results 2 3.1 Live Coral Cover and Reef Condition 2 3.2 Live Hard Coral, Soft and Dead Coral Cover 8 3.3 Associated Macro-invertebrates and Seaweeds in Coral Reefs 8 4.0 Discussions 11 5.0 Summary of Findings 13 6.0 Recommendations 13 CHAPTER II: REEF FISHES 16 7.0 Introduction 16 8.0 Materials and Methods 16 9.0 Results 16 10.0 Discussions 28 11.0 Conclusions and Recommendations 28 CHAPTER III: SEAGRASS AND SEAWEEDS 30 12.0 Introduction 30 13.0 Materials and Methods 31 14.0 Results 34 14.1 Spatial Distribution and Use of Seagrass Habitat 34 14.2 Species Composition and Occurrence 39 14.3 Percentage Seagrass Cover 41 14.4 Associated Seaweeds and Macro-invertebrates 46 15.0 Discussions 51 16.0 Summary of Findings 54 17.0 Recommendations 55 ____________________________________________________________________________________ iii CHAPTER IV: MARINE MAMMALS AND SEA TURTLES 57 18.0 Introduction 57 19.0 Methods 57 20.0 Results 57 20.1 Respondent’s Background 57 20.2 Dugong Status 60 20.3 Turtle Status 62 20.4 Cetacean Status 64 20.5 Threats 67 20.6 Conservation Awareness 68 21.0 Discussions 72 22.0 Conclusions and Recommendations 73 CHAPTER V: MANGROVE FOREST 75 23.0 Introduction 75 24.0 Objectives 75 25.0 Expected Outputs 75 26.0 Methodology 76 27.0 Results and Discussions 82 27.1 Biodiversity Assessment 82 27.2 Mangrove Vegetation Structural Analysis 86 27.3 Mangrove Pattern of Uses and Existing Land Use/Forest Condition 89 28.0 Recommendations 93 REFERENCES 97 ____________________________________________________________________________________ iv LIST OF TABLES Table Title Page No. No. 1 Reef sites with live coral cover of 1-10%, Linapacan, Palawan, 2004 2 2 Reef sites with live coral cover of 11-30%, Linapacan, Palawan, 2004 5 3 Reef sites with live coral cover of 31-50%, Linapacan, Palawan, 2004 5 4 Reef sites with live coral cover of 51-75%, Linapacan, Palawan, 2004 6 5 Classification and distribution of coral reef sites surveyed based on 6 percentage live coral cover, Linapacan, Palawan, 2004 6 Average percentage covers of hard corals, soft corals, total live corals 7 (hard and soft corals combined) and dead corals observed in the reef sites surveyed, Linapacan, Palawan, 2004 7 Macro-invertebrates and seaweeds seen during the baseline survey in 9 coral reefs of Linapacan, Northern Palawan (May-June 2005), Linapacan, Palawan, 2004 8 Species Richness of Reef Fishes from 34 Sampling Station, 18 Linapacan, Palawan 2004 9 Occurrence of reef fishes from 34 sampling stations, Linapacan, 20 Palawan, May 2004, Fish categories are: 1-indicator species, M-major species, and T-target species 10 Number of Indicator, Major and Target Species from 34 Sampling 27 Station, Linapacan, Palawan 2004 11 Sampling stations data for the baseline survey of seagrass and 33 seaweeds in the municipality of Linapacan, Northern Palawan, 30 May – 03 June 2004. Legend: nplot=number of plots sampled; (*)=perpendicular distance from shore to seaward edge; S=Sandy; S- M=Sandy-Muddy; S-C=Sandy-Coralline; and S-R=Sandy-Rocky 12 Seagrass species composition and occurrence for the baseline survey 40 of seagrass and seaweeds in the municipality of Linapacan, Northern Palawan, 30 May-03 June 2004. Legend: nspecies=number of species; CYRO=Cymodocea rotundata, CYSE=Cymodocea serrulata, ENHA=Enhalus accoroides, HPIN=Halodule pinifolia, HOVA=Halophila ovalis, HUNI=Halodule uninervis, SYRI=Syringodium isoetifolium, THALI=Thalassia hemprichii, and TACIL=Thalassodendron ciliatum 13 Percentage bottom cover of the species of seagrasses for the baseline 43 survey in the municipality of Linapacan, Northern Palawan, 30 May- 03 June 2004. Legend: Legend: nplot=number of plots; CYRO=Cymodocea rotundata, CYSE=Cymodocea serrulata, ENHA=Enhalus accoroides, HPIN=Halodule pinifolia, HOVA=Halophila ovalis, HUNI=Halodule uninervis, SYRI=Syringodium isoetifolium, THALI=Thalassia hemprichii, 14 Seaweed species and their abundance observed at each of the seagrass 47 sampling stations in Linapacan, 30 May-03 June 2004 ____________________________________________________________________________________ v Table Title Page No. No. 15 Respondent’s Perception on Dugong Numbers, Linapacan, Palawan 62 2004 16 Respondents’ Perception on Turtle Numbers, Linapacan, Palawan 64 2004 17 Respondents’ Perception on Dophin Numbers, Linapacan, Palawan 67 2004 18 Respondents’ Perception on Whale Numbers, Linapacan, Palawan 67 2004 19 Reasons for releasing accidentally caught animals 69 20 Reasons on Actions Indicated When a Dead Animals is Accidentally 70 Captured 21 Awareness and Implementation on Conservation Laws 71 22 Perceptions on the Necessity for Animal Protection 72 23 Location and position of belt transects surveyed by the Mangrove 77 Team in Linapacan, Palawan, 2004 24 List of True and Associate Mangrove Species Identified and Recorded 82 Linapacan, Palawan, 2004 25 Distribution and Abundance of Top Ten Mangrove Species in 83 Different Sampling Sites of Linapacan, Palawan 2004 26 The Diveristy Indices of Mangrove Forest Calculated using Different 84 Diversity Formula, Linapacan, Palawan 2004 27 Relative Values of Shannon Diversity Index and Evenness of 85 Mangroves Species Distribution Linapacan, Palawan 2004 28 RF, RDen, RDom, and IV of Top 15 Mangrove Species, Linapacan, 87 Palawan 2004 29 Average Stocking (N/ha) of Timber and Pole Size Trees/Transect 87 Linapacan, Palawan, 2004 30 Stand Volume (m/ha) of Timber and Pole by Transect in Linapacan, 88 Palawan 2004 31 Mangrove Index of Degradation and Ecological Condition Indices 91 based on Forest Structure and Ecological Diversity Parameters, Linapacan, Palawan 2004 32 Factors Considered in Choosing Appropriate Management Strategies 94 for Mangrove Areas, Linapacan, Palawan 2004 ____________________________________________________________________________________ vi LIST OF FIGURES Figure Title Page No. No. 1 The study area showing the coral reef sites surveyed (manta tow 3 tracts), 30 May – 03 June 2004 2 The sites surveyed showing percentage live coral cover scores and 4 condition, 30 May – 03 June 2004 3 Potential coral core zones, Linapacan, Northern Palawan, 30 May-03 14 June 2004 4 Baseline fish survey sampling stations, Linapacan, Palawan, May 17 2004 5 Potential reef fish core zones, Linapacan, Palawan, May 2004 29 6 Coastline surveyed and sampling stations established for the seagrass 32 and seaweed study in Linapacan, Palawan, 30 May – 03 June 2004 7 Coastline surveyed having seagrass beds in Linapacan, 30 May – 03 35 June 2004 8 Locations of fish corals, fish cages, pearl culture farms, seaweed 37 farms and pebble mining seen during the survey in Linapacan, 30 May-03 June 2004 9 Percentage Cover of Seagrass by Species Linapacan, 30 May-03 June 44 2004 10 Percentage Cover of Seagrasses by Sampling Station Linapacan, 30 44 May-03 June 2004 11 Percentage Seagrass Cover and Seagrass Beds Condition, Linapacan, 45 30 May-03 June 2004 12 Map Survey Areas, Linapacan, Palawan 2004 58 13 Fisher’s Classification 58 14 Years Fishing in Area 58 15 Fishing Frequency 58 16 Fishing Gears Used 58 17 Age Group 59 18 Ethnic Origin 59 19 Educational Attainment 59 20 Established Residency (Yrs) 59 21 Dugong Distribution, Linapacan, Palawan 2004 60 22 Dugong Sightings, Linapacan, Palawan 2004 61 23 Turtle Distribution and Nesting Sites, Linapacan, Palawan 2004 63 24 Turtle Sightings, Linapacan, Palawan 2004 63 25 Cetacean Distribution, Linapacan, Palawan, 2004 65 26 Dophin Sightings, Linapacan, Palawan 2004 66 27 Whale Sightings, Linapacan, Palawan 2004 66 28 Perceived Threats, Linapacan, Palawan, 2004 68 29 Action When a Live Animal is Accidentally Captured 69 ____________________________________________________________________________________ vii Figure Title Page No. No. 30 Action When a Dead Animal is Accidentally Captured 69 31 Satellite Map Showing the Municipality of Linapacan, Palawan 2003 76 32 Picture showing the lay-outing of transects, Linapacan, Palawan, 2004 79 33 Picture showing Rhizophora apiculata 83 ____________________________________________________________________________________ viii LIST OF PLATES Plate Title Page No. No. 1 Seagrass beds at low tide in Station 11-San Miguel Poblacion 34 2 Seagrass beds at low tide near pier in San Miguel Poblacion showing 34

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