Towards Local Fishers Participation in Coral Reef Monitoring:A Case in Tingloy, Batangas, Philippines

1 Proceedings of the 11th International Coral Reef Symposium, Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, 7 – 11 July 2008 Session number 21 Towards Local Fishers Participation in Coral Reef Monitoring:A Case in Tingloy, Batangas, Philippines A.L.A. Subade1,3, R.F. Subade2, Z.B. Catalan1 1) School of Environmental Science & Management, University of the Philippines Los Banos 2) IFPDS-CFOS, and DSS-CAS, University of the Philippines Visayas; 3) University of the Philippines Visayas Abstract. The five-island municipality of Tingloy is a popular diving site known for its rich coral reefs. However, these reefs are being threatened by man-made stresses and natural disturbances. A monitoring framework was developed through the integration of scientific and indigenous knowledge in determining and assessing the present status of coral reef environment. One of the benefits of the developed monitoring framework is the empowerment of the fishermen. Institutions and fishermen in the area in cooperation with the academe provided the major backbone of the framework. The fishermen were interviewed, trained and participated in the whole year monitoring of the coral reef environment. The monitoring framework developed served as an overall guide for monitoring activities and the data gathered served as the baseline information of the coral reef environment in the area. Key words: coral reefs, fishermen, monitoring framework, baseline information, Tingloy Introduction the coral reef ecosystems of these areas (White and The Philippines is blessed with one of the most Vogt 2000). diverse coral reef ecosystems in the world as it lies The WWF-Philippines (World Wide Fund for in the region known as “The Coral Triangle”. Nature) has been implementing conservation However, Philippine coral reefs are increasingly activities in Mabini and Tingloy since 1998. It threatened ecosystems. Coral cover is rapidly started by setting up community-based, multi- declining, fish populations are low and reef sector inter-municipal council (MATINGCADC), productivity dropped by one-third during the last which it envisions will eventually manage the decades (Jameson et al. 1995). The damage that area’s rich marine resources. To further ensure this, occurs to coral reefs is usually the result of natural the project strengthened the coastal law enforcers, and man-made interference. “Bantay Dagat” that the local council has In Luzon, one of the most extensive coral reef organized. With the success in the enforcement ecosystems which is a favorite destination of scuba efforts of Tingloy to curb illegal and destructive divers is found along the municipality of Tingloy, fishing activities, members of the municipal Mabini and its vicinity. Tingloy is located in council, Sangguniang Bayan who are also members Maricaban Island, Batangas, 120 km south of of the local council, MATINGCADC, are now Manila. Tingloy is situated in the southern coast, considering on identifying and declaring certain and the coral reefs are found along Batangas Bay areas within their political jurisdiction as and Maricaban Strait . The western side of Tingloy community-managed municipal marine reserves (e.g. Sepoc point., Sombrero and Caban islands), is (Dumaop 2000). considered one of the best diving sites in the area For the past 20 years, much has been done on (Uychiaoco and Aliño 1995). The coral coastal and reef management in the country, communities of Mabini and Tingloy are said to involving government, non-government have traditionally supported rich near-shore fishing organizations, local communities and resource and in recent years, a growing tourism industry. In users with emphasis on communities’ participation the early 80’s however, increased fishing effort in the rehabilitation and conservation programs using destructive methods, uncontrolled (White and Vogt 2000; Gutierrez et al. 1996; development of the land, increased visitation by Fernandez, Matsuda and Subade 2000). There has scuba divers and day-trippers and increased been an increasing level of participation by local pollution (solid and liquid waste), began to threaten communities and resource users, particularly the fishermen in coastal management across the 983 2 country, as evidenced by several cases such as the management of the aquatic ecosystem. The third stories of Apo Island, Banate Bay (Fernandez et al. component is the coastal environment specifically 2000) and others. In most of those projects, coastal the extensive coral reef ecosystem of Tingloy. management and monitoring has been done mainly by scientists, and focused on biophysical and chemical aspects. Moreover, most of the Indigeneous monitoring guidelines and techniques were Community knowledge of Man-made Monitoring determined by the scientists. This situation makes Fishermen the Status of stresses indicators LGU Coastal it difficult for fishermen to be actually involved in Resources monitoring activities. Thus, local participation Biophysical & Water would usually be limited to patrolling while Quality Characterization of monitoring would be largely done by the scientists. Coral Reef Ecosystem There is therefore a need of encouraging Methodological participation down to the grassroots level for Integration of Problem Management Framework for monitoring and assessment since it is through this Knowledge Identification Strategies Environmental that one could determine the status of the coral reef Monitoring and ecosystem and the effectiveness of a policy, a Assessment of program, or management activity being the Coral Reef Ecosystem implemented. This study aimed to facilitate and Other Scientific Natural encourage community participation in the institutions knowledge disturbances development process of the integrated Academe, in Monitoring methodological framework for environmental PGENRO, KKP- Methods WWF, DENR monitoring of coral reefs in Tingloy, Batangas. It also integrated scientific and indigenous Figure 1. Conceptual framework of the Study. knowledge in determining and assessing the present status of coral reef, reef fish and water The framework could be viewed as a system with quality in the area. The framework developed several components, interacting to come up with an could also serve as an overall guide for the integrated methodological framework for monitoring activities that was undertaken by the environmental monitoring. The methodological coastal community. The development of processes for the development of the said methodological framework for environmental framework were shown in Figure 2. monitoring of coral reefs in Tingloy, Batangas, provided a good venue for the expression of community’s knowledge and participation in the Coordination with Variables to be examined Review of secondary data Fishermen, Local --biological, social, formulation of monitoring plan for the Government Unit institutional, etc. management of their marine resources. & other institutions Development of The Research Process methodological Training & workshop of Socio-economic & framework for Fishermen for coastal Reconnaissance survey This study was conducted in the five islands of monitoring monitoring Tingloy, Batangas involving the community and OUTPUT: Status of different institutions for the rehabilitation and Field data gathering – Integration Coral Reef Ecosystem --benthic life forms, of results in Tingloy, Batangas conservation of marine resources. Figure 1 shows reef fish, water quality the conceptual framework of the study. The first component is the community which composed of the fishermen, who are the main residents, and the Figure 2. The research process for the development of the local government unit (LGU) in the area. The framework. second component is the organization of institutions that were equally important such as the The individual survey was conducted over a 5- Provincial Government Environment and Natural week period from June to July 2001 in Tingloy, Resources Office (PGENRO), the academic Batangas. To gather the needed data, a structured institution and the Kabang Kalikasan ng Pilipinas and open-ended interview schedule was or the WWF-Philippines. The PGENRO and the administered to the fishermen after it was academe provided the scientific knowledge in the translated to Tagalog and pre-tested in Barangay environmental assessment while the role of KKP- Sulo, Mabini. The questionnaire consisted of 10 WWF was measured through its past and present pages divided into the following five sections: 1) efforts as well as future plans for the sustainable demographic and socio-economic characteristics of 984 3 fishermen, 2) fishing and resource management each site for the coral and reef fish survey. A line- practices including fishing effort and catch, 3) intercept technique and snorkel survey were used knowledge, 4) perception, and 5) attitude. In the by the divers and fishermen, respectively in the last part of the questionnaire, the fishermen were assessment of coral reef and reef fish. Based on asked if he is willing to participate in monitoring of Gomez and Alcala (1978) studies, coral cover was coastal resources and the reason for his answer. categorized as Excellent (75-100%), Good (50- A two-day training on coastal monitoring was 74.9%), Fair (25-49.9%), and Poor (0-24.9%). conducted for the fishermen. Out of the 109 Water sampling of coastal waters was quarterly fishermen interviewed, eight participated in the scheduled in the months of August, November, training-workshop. The five criteria for the February and June. Sample collection for each selection of

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