SPR(2009) Siquijor
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SAVING PHILIPPINE REEFS Coral Reef Monitoring Expedition to Siquijor Province, Philippines March 21 – 29, 2009 A project of: The Coastal Conservation and Education Foundation, Inc. (formerly Sulu Fund for Marine Conservation, Inc.) With the participation and support of the Expedition Research Volunteers Summary Field Report: “Saving Philippine Reefs” Coral Reef Monitoring Expedition to Siquijor Province, Philippines March 21 – 29, 2009 A project of: The Coastal Conservation and Education Foundation, Inc. (formerly Sulu Fund for Marine Conservation, Inc.) With the participation and support of the Expedition Research Volunteers Principal investigators and primary researchers: Alan T. White, Ph.D. The Nature Conservancy Honolulu, Hawaii, USA Roxie Diaz Coastal Conservation and Education Foundation, Inc. Sheryll C. Tesch Evangeline White Coastal Conservation and Education Foundation, Inc. Rafael Martinez Fisheries Improved for Sustainable Harvest Project Summary Field Report: “Saving Philippine Reefs” Coral Reef Monitoring Expedition to Siquijor Province, Philippines, March 21 – 29, 2009. Produced by the Coastal Conservation and Education Foundation, Inc. Cebu City, Philippines Citation: White, A.T., R. Diaz, S. Tesch, R. Martinez and E. White. 2010. Summary Field Report: Coral Reef Monitoring Expedition to Siquijor Province, Philippines, March 21 – 29, 2009. The Coastal Conservation and Education Foundation, Inc., Cebu City, 76p. CCEF Document No. 01/2010. This publication may be reproduced or quoted in other publications as long as proper reference is made to the source. This report was made possible through the support provided by the Expedition Researchers listed in the appendix and organized through the Coastal Conservation and Education Foundation, Inc. Coastal Conservation and Education Foundation, Inc (CCE Foundation) is a non-profit organization concerned with coral reef and coastal conservation in the Philippines. Cover photo by Mark Copley. All communications to: The Coastal Conservation and Education Foundation, Inc. 3rd Floor, PDI Condominium, Archbishop Reyes Avenue, Banilad, Cebu City, Philippines Phone: 6332-233-6909 or 6332-233-6947 Fax: 6332-233-6891 Email: [email protected] or [email protected] Website: www.coast.ph ii ABSTRACT The annual Saving Philippine Reefs Expedition assessed the condition of the coral reefs in Siquijor Island Province and Apo Island, Negros Oriental, in March 2009. Surveys were conducted at selected sites and updated information from surveys in 2002, 2005, 2006, 2007, and 2008. In 2009, live hard coral (LHC) for all seven sites ranged from poor to good (14.1 ± 1.7% to 68.8 ± 5.8%). Comparison among sites in the 7 to 9 meter depth range gave a highly variable result. In this depth zone, Tubod Marine Sanctuary had the highest LHC, and Caticugan, the lowest. A total of 191 fish species in 48 families were observed in 2009, somewhat lower compared to the previous years. Butterflyfish species counted was 25 which is the same as in 2002. Fish abundances for 2009, when compared between years within each site were significantly higher in two sites, namely Lower Cabancalan and Apo Island sanctuaries. The other sites showed similar fish abundance compared to the last survey. The status of coral reefs of Siquijor Island has improved since 1980 when surveys were first conducted in the Island. Such improvement can be attributed to the implementation of MPAs, and the commencement of coastal resource management programs within each municipality and at the provincial level. The survey in 2009 indicates that the coral reefs in Siquijor are stable and improving in several sites in relation to the degree of protection and management in individual MPAs. But, fish abundances are still low by Philippine coral reef standards due to continued and in some cases increased fishing pressure near MPAs. In addition, commercial scale fishing occurs within the 15 km limits of the island which draws down the biomass of fish in nearshore waters. A few key recommendations for improved habitat conservation and management of MPAs on Siquijor Island include the need to: • Establish more and larger MPAs. • Improve coastal fisheries law enforcement. • Share monitoring and evaluation information among all stakeholders. • Continue monitoring for sustained management. • Increase diver, boat operator, and visitor education. • Do more research in fisheries to be conducted for the benefit of reef management. • Form a Siquijor MPA Network management plan and association. iii TABLE OF CONTENTS LIST OF FIGURES AND TABLES v ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS viii LIST OF ACRONYMS AND ABBREVIATIONS ix INTRODUCTION 1 Management history of the Siquijor Island and Apo Island 1 This Expedition – 2009 3 Data Collected and Methods 3 OVERVIEWS AND RESULTS OF SITES SURVEYED 8 Caticugan Marine Sanctuary, San Juan, Siquijor 8 Lower Cabancalan Marine Sanctuary, Lazi, Diquijor 10 Talayong Marine Sanctuary, Lazi, Siquijor 13 Tubod Marine Sanctuary, San Juan, Siquijor 16 Paliton Marine Sanctuary, San Juan, Siquijor 18 Apo Island Marine Sanctuary, Dauin, Negros Oriental 21 SUMMARY OR RESULTS AND TRENDS 46 Coral Reef and Other Substrate 46 Fish Diversity and Abundance 47 RECOMMENDATIONS FOR IMPROVED MANAGEMENT 50 REFERENCES 52 APPENDICES 1. Expedition itinerary of activities 53 2. Expedition staff and researchers 55 3. Fish list 59 4. Expedition photos 66 iv LIST OF FIGURES Figure No. Title Page No. 1 Siquijor Province. 6 2 Apo Island Marine Sanctuary, Dauin, Negros Oriental. 7 3a Caticugan Marine Sanctuary, Siquijor, Siquijor. 8 Lower Cabancalan Marine Sanctuary and Talayong Marine Sanctuary, 3b 9 Municipality of Lazi. Tubod Marine Sanctuary and Paliton Marine Sanctuary, Municipality of San 3c 10 Juan. Changes in substrate composition (%mean ±SE) in Caticugan Marine Sanctuary 4 11 from 2002 to 2009 (7-8m depth) Changes in mean (±SE) density (fish/500m2) at Caticugan Marine Sanctuary 5 12 from 2002 to 2009. Changes in substrate composition (%mean ±SE) in Lower Cabancalan Marine 6 13 Sanctuary from 2005 to 2009. Changes in mean (±SE) density (fish/500m2) in Lower Cabancalan Marine 7 13 Sanctuary from 2005 to 2009. Changes in substrate composition (%mean ±SE) in Talayong Marine Sanctuary 8 14 from 2005 to 2009. Changes in mean (±SE) density (fish/500m2) in Talayong Marine Sanctuary from 9 15 2005 to 2009. Changes in substrate composition (%mean ±SE) in Tubod Marine Sanctuary 10 16 from 2002 to 2009. Changes in mean (±SE) density (fish/500m2) in Tubod Marine Sanctuary from 11 16 2002 to 2009. Changes in mean (±SE) number of species/500m2 in Tubod Marine Sanctuary 12 17 from 2002 to 2009. Changes in substrate composition (%mean ±SE) in Paliton Marine Sanctuary 13 18 from 2006 to 2009. Changes in mean (±SE) density (fish/500m2) in Paliton Marine Sanctuary from 14 18 2006 to 2009. Changes in substrate composition (%mean ±SE) in Apo Island Marine Sanctuary 15 19 from 1981 to 2009. Changes in mean (±SE) density (fish/500m2) in Apo Island Marine Sanctuary 16 20 from 1985 to 2009. Changes in mean (±SE) number of species/500m2 in Apo Island Marine 17 20 Sanctuary from 1985 to 2009. Changes in live coral cover (%mean ±SE) at all sites in Siquijor Province 18 46 from 2002 to 2009. Changes in target fish density (fish/500m2) at all sites in Siquijor Province 19 47 from 2002 to 2009. Mean (±SE) species richness (species/500m2) of all reef species at five sites 20 48 in the Province of Siquijor. Mean (±SE) species richness (species/500 m2) of target species at five sites 21 48 in Province of Siquijor. Mean (±SE) density (fish/500m2) of all reef species at five sites in the 22 49 Province of Siquijor. Mean (±SE) density (fish/500m2) of target species at five sites in the 23 49 Province of Siquijor. v LIST OF TABLES Table No. Title Page No. Changes in substrate composition (% mean) in Caticugan Marine Sanctuary 1 21 from 2002 to 2009. Species list of butterflyfish in Siquijor Island and Apo Island from 1984 to 2 22 2009. Mean (±SE) fish species richness (species/500m2) and density (fish/500m2) 3 23 per family Caticugan Marine Sanctuary in 2009. Mean (±SE) fish species richness (species/500m2) and percentage change 4 24 between years at Caticugan Marine Sanctuary from 2002 to 2009. Mean (±SE) density (fish/500m2) and percentage change of fish families 5 25 between years at Caticugan Marine Sanctuary from 2002 to 2009. Changes in substrate composition (% mean) in Lower Cabancalan Marine 6 26 Sanctuary from 2005 to 2009. Mean (±SE) fish species richness (species/500m2) and density (fish/500m2) 7 27 per family at Lower Cabancalan Marine Sanctuary in 2009. Mean (±SE) fish species richness (species/500m2) and percentage change 8 28 between years at Lower Cabancalan Marine Sanctuary from 2005 to 2009. Mean (±SE) density (fish/500m2) and percentage change of fish families 9 29 between years at Lower Cabancalan Marine Sanctuary from 2005 to 2009. Changes in substrate composition (% mean) in Talayong Marine Sanctuary 10 30 from 2005 to 2009. Mean (±SE) fish species richness (species/500m2) and density (fish/500m2) 11 31 per family at Talayong Marine Sanctuary in 2009. Mean (±SE) fish species richness (species/500m2) and percentage change 12 32 between years at Talayong Marine Sanctuary from 2005 to 2009. Mean (±SE) density (fish/500m2) and percentage change of fish families 13 33 between years at Talayong Marine Sanctuary from 2005 to 2009. Changes in substrate composition (% mean) in Tubod Marine Sanctuary 14 34 from 2002 to 2009. 2 2 15 Mean (±SE) fish species richness (species/500m ) and density (fish/500m ) 35 per family at Tubod Marine Sanctuary in 2009. 2 16 Mean (±SE) fish species richness (species/500m ) and percentage change 36 between years at Tubod Marine Sanctuary from 2002 to 2009. 2 17 Mean (±SE) density (fish/500m ) and percentage change of fish families 37 between years at Tubod Marine Sanctuary from 2002 to 2009. 18 Changes in substrate composition (% mean) in Paliton Marine Sanctuary 38 from 2006 to 2009.