An Overview Of Our Solution
Networking of No-take Marine Protected Areas for Fisheries and Climate Resilience in Central Philippines
Who is this solution impacting?
Ecosystem
Oceans/Coasts
Community Type
Rural
Additional Information
- Population Impacted:
- Continent: Asia
Problem
Describe the problem
Coral reefs in the Philippines, as elsewhere, are increasingly at risk, both from the impacts of global climate change as well as local threats from overfishing, unsustainable fishing practices, land-based pollution and coastal habitat degradation. No-take marine protected areas have become the most viable fisheries management/biodiversity conservation tool to safeguard resources and enhance ecosystem resilience. The rapid decline in local fish stocks, general reef health has emphasized the value of moving beyond managing individual MPAs to networks of MPAs. Our solution aims to boost the proportion of Philippine reefs protected within no-take MPAs by strengthening the management capacity of local authorities thru MPA networks as a consistent approach to restore depleted fisheries.
Biodiversity Impact
Our over-all goal is to improve the reef fisheries in the Philippines in the context of a changing climate. The Philippine reefs support marine life that provides fish, mollusks and crustaceans on which many coastal communities depend. Yet it ranks high in threats to reefs with < 5% found to be in excellent condition. No-take MPAs is a key tool for both reef/fisheries management. Coral cover-fish abundance inside the MPA can be maintained or increased with strict protection that leads to increases in fish abundance outside the MPA to higher fish catches. Typically, MPAs are established at a local scale, resulting in small (< 1 km2) no-take MPAs that benefit local communities by sustaining small-scale fisheries and providing alternative income sources thru tourism. But only about 20-30% of these are actually achieving habitat protection in over 1000 legalized no-take MPAs. So even if individual MPAs can achieve local-scale fisheries objectives, they do not generally constitute needed functional networks to ensure the persistence of biodiversity and its processes. Our solution is to build on existing efforts of the South Cebu MPA network by developing, implementing an MPA network plan that improves its management relating to ecological connectivity, and supports resilience. Objectives are to improve effectiveness of the network which will be achieved thru improved scientific basis for decisions on location, size and spacing of new MPAs, and strengthened capacity-coordination of managers; and enhance stakeholder cooperation-participation in management thru education.
Solution
Our solution addresses current threats to sustainable fisheries by ensuring effectively managed no-take MPAs. Given global climate change, developing resilient MPA networks that would protect biodiversity is timely. Our solution focuses on building institutional capacity of managers that improves the design, management relating to ecological connectivity, and supports resilience. An MPA network is understood as a coordinated system of MPAs that are ecologically and institutionally linked to achieve common biodiversity goals. It can effectively 'connect' major marine habitats and associated ecosystems and protect critical spawning, nursery habitats. Other benefits include shared costs-benefits among locals and increased livelihoods through nature-based tourism. MPA networking along with enhancing community-based no-take MPA management approaches are integral to our solution's success. If the local authorities and stakeholder communities observe a more immediate and tangible result brought about by improved institutional and enforcement efforts, then increased awareness-support will result. Our solution also aims to build local capacities thru learning by doing that will inevitably lead to changed exploitation behavior. It not only promotes an effective management approach that will help restore reef functional diversity with the direct participation of communities but it will likewise increase appreciation about coral reef communities and the value of collaborative protection. Emphasizing the synergism of actions will ensure a sustainable, long-term solution. // Our solution is being applied at 21 no-take MPAs with (size range: 5-22 has.) totaling to 270 hectares. These no-take MPAs straddle Cebu Strait, a major fisheries ecosystem in Central Philippines. The Cebu Strait comprises of habitats, such as mangrove forests, coral reefs, seagrass, mudflats, sandy beaches, etc. that are the feeding grounds, nursery areas and spawning grounds of coastal-dwelling marine aquatic organisms. The Cebu Strait contains about 1,500 identified species, moving around areas of up to 5,000 sq km, and supports at least 5,000 subsistence fishers. The Southeast Cebu municipalities have been very active in coastal resource management programs wherein management plans have been adopted with management of no-take MPAs embedded thereat. However, there are still challenges that require sustainable actions for long-term biodiversity conservation impacts. One of which is the necessity to enhance the inter-municipal cluster or MPA network approach to improve biophysical conditions in areas within and outside no-take MPAs. Continued protection and proper resource use/management is essential for long-term success of present initiatives. Live hard coral cover in 15 out of the 22 MPAs (68.2%) surveyed in Southeast Cebu were fair according to Gomez et al. (1994) categories with nine MPAs (42.9%) showed significant increase in coral cover after 5 years of survey. Live coral cover of these no-take MPAs are still in varying conditions. This means that the area still requires more protection-enhanced management with the needs of the coastal dwellers in mind.
Replicability
How many years has your solution been applied? 5 years // Have others reproduced your solution elsewhere? Yes // CCEF will partner with existing cluster management council and management committee to undertake the various activities. The target groups for training and support activities will be the Marine Management Councils, People’s Organizations and Fisherfolk’s Associations connected with the 21 existing MPAs in Southern Cebu. Our solution will be implemented in collaboration with the management council and management committees. Technical assistance in MPA network management plan implementation and in implementing selected ecosystem-based fisheries management control-oriented measures, as well as capacity-building activities for local MPA network managers will be managed by the proponents' program coordinator and field staff. Costs for project implementation will be shared between the proponent with counterpart funds from the local government units and the volunteer services of the community.
Human Well Being and Livelihood Impact
Coral reefs currently provide food and livelihood for thousands of residents not only with the harvestable resources they generate but also the tourism opportunities they provide, so anything that can contribute to their resilience and thus the food security of the people dependent on them is a sensible use of resources. More than two thirds of the population (c. 252,000) live in coastal barangays, and small-scale fisheries contribute significantly to income and food security; in some barangays, up to 95% of households are engaged in fishing activities. The local economy mainly depends on agriculture and fisheries and most of the fishers could be categorized as subsistence fishers. The existing fisheries in the municipalities are hook and line, spear fishing, and net fishing while women and children glean for invertebrates for home consumption. Currently, coral reefs provide the majority of the food and livelihood for the residents of the seven coastal municipalities not only with the harvestable resources they generate but also the tourism-related work opportunities they provide. Benefits from tourism activities have been known to increase revenue to communities through tourism-related livelihoods and shares from user fees imposed by municipal government authorities. So anything that can contribute to their resilience and thus the food security of the people dependent on them is needed. // Philippine no-take MPAs are often co-managed by the local community groups - management council or people's organization--and the mandated local authority. In South Cebu, a MPA network management council has been organized with the vice-mayors as the decision-makers. An executive director is responsible for the daily activities along with management committee (comprising the six Municipal Agricultural Officers, Agricultural / Fisheries Technicians and monitoring team) as committee members for identified programs. The South Cebu management council and local-level MPA management councils will be the primary beneficiary of the local capacity-building and monitoring training for the implementation of our solution. We strongly believe that the positive shifts in the target coral and fish communities (increased coral cover, biomass, average size) is a by-product of improved management. With these MPAs working synergistically to bring about increased protection, natural recovery, these may result with reduced poaching within and beyond MPA boundaries. Numerous examples exist of the need of continuing support and involvement of outside organizations, largely from NGOs, to the continued success of coastal resource management programs. The initial positive results of this project have clearly illustrated the importance of addressing management concerns while considering appropriately located and ecologically connected MPAs based on sound science.