By Henrylito D. Tacio
“The degradation of our marine ecosystems has always been a gut issue as it pushes poverty deeper in the coastal communities through loss of livelihood, vulnerability to natural hazards, hunger and even health problems. We must all work together to bring back our coral reefs and the whole marine ecosystem to excellent condition so that our seas can benefit us in a sustainable manner.” — Senator Loren Legarda
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On land, the ecosystem that supports the greatest number of plant and animal species is the rainforest. In the sea, it’s the coral reef.
What most Filipinos don’t know that the corals they are familiar with are actually the dried and bleached skeletons of soft-bodied animals that live in the warm, sunlit waters of tropical seas and look more like plants and rocks than animals.
Here are some information from the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR): “The main part of the real coral is the polyp — the extraordinary flower-like animal and finger-like tentacles. Belonging to the phylum Coelenterata, corals comprised thousands of species.
“In colonies, polyps form the limestone structures which are known as coral reefs. These reefs are both beautiful and beneficial to man. These colorful, underwater ‘flower gardens’ teem with creatures found nowhere else on earth.”
Coral reefs attract a diverse array of organisms in the ocean. They provide a source of food and shelter for a large variety of species including fish, shellfish, fungi, sponges, sea anemones, sea urchins, turtles and snails. A single reef can support as many as 3,000 species of marine life. As fishing grounds, they are thought to be 10 to 100 times as productive per unit area as the open sea.
According to the World Bank, one hundred scientists have declared the Philippines as the world’s “center of marine biodiversity” because of its vast species of marine and coastal resources.
Take the case of Samal Island in Davao del Norte. It is part of Davao Gulf which the World Wildlife Fund considers as “one of the most diverse marine ecosystems in the world.” Diverse coral reefs, different mangrove species, cetaceans and a host of invertebrates contribute to the natural diversity of the gulf, it said.
Interestingly, Davao Gulf is Southern Mindanao’s fishing ground. But lately, a recent study showed that 45-50% of the total fish caught daily by most of the fishermen in the gulf are juvenile—too young, not marketable and, therefore, wasted.
Dr. Anthony Sales, regional director of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST), attributed the dwindling fish catch in Davao Gulf to the destruction of coral reefs and other fish habitats.
If the Philippines will not do something to stop the destruction of the country’s coral reefs, several experts cautioned that it may not have the fish to feed its surging population. It is estimated that 80% of the animal protein requirement of Filipinos come from our seas.
The only way to save coral reefs from extinction and restore their productivity is to limit access to them, suggests Dr. Edgardo D. Gomez. “This is no mean task,” says the country’s foremost marine scientist. “But it seems it is the only means we can save our coral reefs from disappearing in this part of the world.”
According to Dr. Gomez, a number of marine parks and reserves have already been established in many parts of the country. In fact, some fishing areas have been closed periodically to enable the fish to breed.
In Davao Gulf, the BFAR imposed a three-month fishing ban “to conserve marine resources and to secure the spawning period of pelagic fishes.” “Given the decline of fishery resources, there has to be a closed season in Davao Gulf,” Councilor Leonardo Avila III pointed out.
The Philippines has also several laws that protect the ecologically-fragile coral reefs. Among these is Presidential Decree 1219 as amended by Presidential Decree 1698, which regulates the exploitation of ordinary corals and restrict the sale of precious and semiprecious corals.
PD 1698 prohibits the gathering, harvesting, collecting, transporting, possessing, selling and exporting of ordinary corals, either in raw or processed form. The law also prohibits the use of corals and materials in buildings, and other man-made structures such as, but not limited to, piers, dams and dikes.
“Our country has good laws protecting corals, but the enforcement needs some work,” someone commented.
However, there are several programs that have been carried out to save the remaining coral reefs. Next year, a nationwide coral restoration program will be done as the Congress has already approved its funding.
Under the proposed 2016 national budget, about P500 million has been allocated for the coral restoration program. The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) is said to implement the project based on current programs, such as the sustainable coral reef ecosystem management program.
In a press statement, Senator Loren Legarda, who is the chair of the Senate Committee on Finance, said: “According to the DENR, the Philippines has 240 million hectares of marine area based on the 200-mile exclusive economic zone. Ideally, coral reefs in the 60 million hectares of marine area around the country, the area which is considered possible for fishing including seagrass beds, tidal flats, should be in excellent condition.”
Filipinos need to save their coral reefs. Dr. Rafael D. Guerrero, a fishery expert, urged: “We are the stewards of our nation’s resources; we should take care of our national heritage so that future generations can enjoy them. Let’s do our best to save our coral reefs. Our children’s children will thank us for the effort.”
