Summary Field Report Saving Philippine Reefs Coral Reef Monitoring Expedition to Calamianes Islands, Palawan, Philippines April 17 – 25, 2016 A Project of: The Coastal Conservation and Education Foundation, Inc. With the participation and support of the Expedition Volunteer Researchers Summary Field Report “Saving Philippine Reefs” Coral Reef Monitoring Expedition to Calamianes Islands, Palawan, Philippines April 17-25, 2016 A Project of: The Coastal Conservation and Education Foundation, Inc. (CCEF) With the participation and support of the Expedition Volunteer Researchers: Denise Illing Geoff Illing Thomas J. Mueller Alexander Douglas Robb Alastair Pennycook John Campbell Rowland Vittoria Thornley Julia Cichowski Sheree Marris Laurent Boillon Michael Campbell Rowland Kenneth Mark Hillebrand Donna Armstrong Alan Roland Thomas Thomas Matula Matthew Rowland Jan Elliott Principal investigators and primary researchers: Alan T. White, Ph.D. Former Senior Scientist, The Nature Conservancy, and Manager SEA Project, Indonesia Jonathaniel L. Apurado, M.Sc. Research and Monitoring Team Leader, Coastal Conservation and Education Foundation, Inc., Philippines Evangeline E. White Moonyeen Alava Al Jiereil M. Lozada Camillia Jane F. Bollozos Coastal Conservation and Education Foundation, Inc., Philippines Agnes Corine Z. Sabonsolin Floramae Joyce Neri Sheryll C. Tesch, M.A. Independent Contractors 2 Summary Field Report: “Saving Philippine Reefs” Coral Reef Monitoring Expedition to Calamianes Islands, Palawan, Philippines April 17-25, 2014 Produced by the Coastal Conservation and Education Foundation, Inc. (CCEF) Cebu City, Philippines Citation: White, A.T., J. Apurado, F. Neri, A. Sabonsolin, A.J., Lozada, and E. White. 2016. Summary Field Report: Coral Reef Monitoring Expedition to Calamianes Islands, Palawan, Philippines, April 17-25, 2014. The Coastal Conservation and Education Foundation, Inc., Cebu City, 146p. 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 Research Volunteers listed in the appendix and organized through the Coastal Conservation and Education Foundation, Inc. The opinions expressed here are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the CCEF or the Expedition Volunteer Researchers. CCEF is a nonprofit organization concerned with coral reef conservation and fisheries management through marine protected areas. Cover photo: Manta Ray Photo by: Evangeline E. White All communications to: The Coastal Conservation and Education Foundation, Inc. 3rd Floor, PDI Condominium, Archbishop Reyes Avenue, Banilad, Cebu City, Philippines Phones: 6332-233-6909 Email: [email protected] or [email protected] 3 TABLE OF CONTENTS LIST OF FIGURES 5 LIST OF TABLES 8 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 10 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS 11 LIST OF ACRONYMS AND ABBREVIATIONS 12 INTRODUCTION 13 Management History of Calamianes Islands 13 This Expedition – 2016 14 Data Collected and Methods 14 OVERVIEWS AND RESULTS OF SITES SURVEYED 18 Siete Pecados Marine Sanctuary 18 Sangat-Decalve Marine Sanctuary 24 Sangat Island Coral Garden 31 Lusong Island Coral Garden 37 Sangat Resort House Reef 44 Bugor Sand Island Marine Sanctuary 50 Cuaming Island 56 Punta Dinamita 62 Calumbuyan Island - East and West 68 SUMMARY OF RESULTS AND TRENDS 80 Coral Reef Substrate and Invertebrates 80 Charismatic Invertebrates 81 Fish Diversity, Abundance, Biomass and Large Marine Life 86 Coral Reef Cover, Butterflyfish as Indicator Fish for Diversity, Management level 89 RECOMMENDATIONS FOR IMPROVED MANAGEMENT 90 REFERENCES 91 APPENDICES 1. Expedition itinerary 93 2. Expedition staff and volunteers 95 3. Fish species list 98 4. Butterflyfish list 107 5. Macroinvertebrate density 109 6. Commercially important macroinvertebrates 114 7. Wonderful Fauna of Calamianes 115 8. Fun and play in Calamianes 116 9. Expedition photos 117 10. Maps and photos of survey sites 120 4 LIST OF FIGURES Figure No. Description Page No 1 Survey sites in Calamianes Islands, Palawan, Philippines 17 Substrate composition (%mean ±SE) in Siete Pecados Marine Park from 2 19 2006 to 2016, 6-10m and 2-3m depths. Macroinvertebrate species noted only from Siete Pecados Marine Park; the sponges (A) Carteriospongia sp., (B) Phyllospongia sp., and (C) Theonella 3 sp., the head shielded slug (D) Chelidonura varians, the bivalves (E) Lopha 21 sp. and (F) Pinctada sp., the ascidians (G) Exostoma sp. and (H) Leptoclinides reticulatus and (I) a species of an unidentified invertebrate. Mean fish species richness (species/ 500m2) at Siete Pecados Marine 4A 24 Sanctuary from 2006 to 2016. Mean fish density (individual/500m2) at Siete Pecados Marine Sanctuary 4B 24 from 2006 to 2016. Substrate composition (%mean ±SE) in Sangat-Decalve from 2004 to 2016, 5 26 6-10m depth. Mean fish species richness (species/500m2) at Sangat-Decalve from 2004 to 6A 31 2016. 6B Mean fish density (individual/500m2) at Sangat-Decalve from 2004 to 2016. 31 Substrate composition (%mean ±SE) in Sangat Island Coral Garden from 7 32 2006 to 2016 at 6-10m depth. The flatworm (A) Pseudobicerus sp., the nudibranch (B) Goniobranchus coi and the bivalve (C) Spondylus varians were found only in Sangat 8 33 CoralGarden. It is also one of the two sites where the sponge (D) Coscinoderma mathewsi and the ascidian (E) Botryllus sp. were noted. Mean fish species richness (species/ 500m2) at Sangat Coral Garden from 9A 37 2006 to 2016. Mean fish density (individual/500m2) at Sangat Coral Garden from 2006 to 9B 37 2016. Substrate composition (%mean ±SE) in Lusong Island Coral Garden from 10 38 2006 to 2016, 6-10m and 2-3m depths. Mean fish species richness (species/500m2) at Lusong Island Reef1 (SW) 11A 42 from 2006 to 2016. Mean fish density (individual/500m2) at Lusong Island Reef1 (SW) from 2006 11B 43 to 2016. 12A Lusong Island Reef 2 (NW) 2016 species/ 500m2. 44 12B Lusong Island 2 (NW) 2016 individuals/ 500m2. 44 Substrate composition (%mean ±SE) in Sangat Resort House Reef from 13 45 2006 to 2016, 6-10m and 2-3m depths. Top three most abundant macroinvertebrates in Sangat House Reef. 14 The sponge (A) Sigmadocia sp., the green reef sea squirt (B) Didemnum 47 molle and the OX heart ascidian (C) Polycarpa aurata. Mean fish species richness (species/500m2) at Sangat House Reef from 15A 49 2006 to 2016. Mean fish density (individual/ 500m2) at Sangat House Reef from 2006 to 15B 50 2016. Substrate composition (%mean ±SE) in Bugor Sand Island Marine 16 51 Sanctuary from 2004 to 2016, 6-10m and 2-3m depths. 5 Figure No. Description Page No Four species of macroinvertebrates were noted only from Bugor Island site 1 and these were (A) Stylotella aurantium, (B) Paratetilla sp., (C) 17 53 Jorunna funebris, and (D) Thuridilla gracilis. The sponge (E) Diacarnus sp. was noted only from Bugor Island site 2. Mean fish species richness (species/500m2) at Bugor Island Marine 18A 56 Sanctuary 2006 to 2016. Mean fish density (individual/500m2) at Bugor Island Marine Sanctuary 18B 56 from 2004 to 2016. Substrate composition (%mean ±SE) in Cuaming Island from 2006 to 2016, 19 57 6-10m and 2-3m depths. Species of macroinvertebrates found only in Cuaming Island (A) Acanthella 20 sp., (B) Desmapsamma sp., (C) Katiba milleri, (D) Dermatobranchus sp. and 59 the sea star (E) Fromia sp. which found only in two sites. Mean fish species richness (species/500m2) at Cuaming Island from 21A 62 2006 to 2016. 21B Mean fish density (individual/500m2) at Cuaming Island from 2006 to 2016. 62 Substrate composition (%mean ±SE) in Punta Dinamita from 2006 to 2016, 22 63 6-10m depth. Four species of macroinvertebrates noted only from Punta Dinamita. The 23 sponges (A) Clathria sp. 3, (B) Cymbastela sp., (C) Diacarnus sp. 2 and 65 the nudibranch (D) Phyllidiella pustulosa. Mean fish species richness (species/500m2) at Punta Dinamita, Culion 24A 68 Island from 2006 to 2016. Mean fish density (individual/500m2) at Punta Dinamita, Culion Island from 24B 68 2006 to 2016. Substrate composition (%mean ±SE) in Calumbuyan Island East 25 69 from 2006 to 2016, 6-10m depth. Substrate composition (%mean ±SE) in Calumbuyan Island West 26 71 from 2006 to 2016, 6-10m and 2-3m depths. The three species of macroinvertebrates noted only from Calumbuyan 27 Island. The sponge (A) Aplysinella sp., the hermit crab (B) Dardanus sp. 73 and the ascidian (C) D. moseleyi. Mean fish species richness (species/500m2) at Calumbuyan Island East 28A 76 from 2006 to 2016. Mean fish density (individual/500m2) at Calumbuyan Island East from 28B 76 2006 to 2016. Mean fish species richness (species/500m2) at Calumbuyan Island West 29A 79 from 2006 to 2016. Mean fish density (individual/500m2) at Calumbuyan Island West from 29B 79 2006 to 2016. Changes in live hard coral cover (LHC) (%mean ±SE) in ten sites in 30 Calamianes Islands from 2006 to 2016, 6-10m depth. (+label in green = 80 increase in cover; x label in red = decrease in cover) Changes in live hard coral cover (LHC) (%mean ±SE) in five sites in 31 Calamianes Islands from 2006 to 2016, 2-3m depth. (+ label in green = 80 increase in cover; X label in red = decrease in cover) Charismatic macroinvertebrates found during the surveys. (A) Chromodoris annae, (B) C. strigata, (C) C. geometrica, (D) C. colemani, (E) C. magnifica, 32A (F) Goniobranchus reticulatus, (G) G. coi, (H) Glossodoris cincta, (I) Jorunna 82 funbris, (J) Nembrotha lineata, (K) Hypselodoris apolegma, (L) Hypselodoris sp. 6 Figure No. Description Page No Charismatic macroinvertebrates found during the surveys. (M) Halgerda batangas, (N) Roboastra gracilis, (O) Phyllidia exquisite, (P) P. coelestis, 32B 83 (Q) Phyllidiella annulata, (R) P. pustulosa, (S) Mordrilla brockii and (T) Phyllodesmium briareum. 33A Calamianes Sites mean species richness 2006 & 2016. 86 33B Calamianes Sites mean density (individual/500m2) 2006 & 2016. 87 34 Calamianes sites 2016 mean biomass (MT/km2) as alternative calculation. 87 7 LIST OF TABLES Table No. Description Page No.