Verde Island Passage Named a Hope Spot Highlighting Community Reef Monitoring Program
July 21, 2023
Featured image: Coastal community drone © Joal Ascalon
(VERDE ISLAND PASSAGE, CORAL TRIANGLE, PHILIPPINES)
The Verde Island Passage (VIP) is a major waterway that separates southern Luzon Island from northern Mindoro Island in the Philippines, extending from Lubang Island in the west to Tablas Island in the east. Its 1.14 million hectares of coral reef, mangrove, and seagrass habitats possess a remarkable abundance of marine life, provide livelihoods to millions of people through fishing and ecotourism, serve as a major step commercial shipping channel, and houses significant industrial complexes along part of its shoreline.
Dr. Terrence Gosliner, Senior Curator of Invertebrate Zoology, California Academy of Sciences, and Dr. Wilfredo “Al” Licuanan, Distinguished Full Professor in the Department of Biology and a University Fellow at De La Salle University (DLSU) and their partners are seeking the inclusion of the Verde Island Passage as a National Integrated Protected Area System of the Philippines and declaration as a Particularly Sensitive Sea Area of the International Maritime Organization.
International marine conservation nonprofit Mission Blue has named the Verde Island Passage (VIP) a Hope Spot and Drs. Gosliner and Licuanan as its Champions in recognition of their efforts to push for the expansion of the Verde Island Passage Marine Protected Area Network (VIP MPA Network) by adding new MPAs and expanding existing MPAs, and their work to achieve national standardization across reef monitoring techniques to identify particularly resilient coral species and reefs.
Dr. Sylvia Earle, Founder of Mission Blue, says, “I want to congratulate Dr. Terrence Gosliner and Dr. Wilfredo Licuanan for doing everything they can with their local communities to protect their blue backyards.” She continues, “Coral reefs are the rainforests of the sea. Let us be inspired by the resilience of these corals and let us be motivated by the urgent need to act.”
Dr. Gosliner says, “This Hope Spot designation is a testament to years of collaborative efforts of our Hope for Reefs team with our Filipino colleagues. It is a truly special place that must be preserved for future generations.” Dr. Gosliner has conducted marine research in the Philippines for more than 30 years. The California Academy of Sciences and De La Salle University are collaborating on public education focusing on youth and citizen science.
Dr. Licuanan has led research teams to many previously unstudied reefs from all around the country. From 2014 to 2017, he led a project funded by the Philippine government that undertook a nationwide reassessment of the status of reefs around the Philippines. His focus now is setting up a national reef monitoring system and a threatened coral species mapping effort, both involving volunteer citizen-scientists.”
The California Academy of Sciences and De La Salle University are conducting primary research on advancing coral rearing and spawning techniques and developing said techniques to be deployed for restoration work in areas that lack natural resilience. They are also collaborating with the ABS-CBN Foundation to train community volunteers to monitor their reefs. BFAR, the Philippine Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources, is interested in the methodology the team is using. “It’s low-tech but accurate in the data we’re collecting”, explains Gosliner. “If BFAR adopts it, it has the potential to go national. In order for us to achieve our 30×30 goals, resilient reefs need to be identified.” Gosliner and Licuanan are hoping to eventually double the number of communities along the VIP employing monitoring techniques to assess the health of local reefs.
Based on numerous studies, it has been shown that the VIP has vibrant reef fish fauna (Carpenter & Springer, 2005), heterobranch mollusk diversity (Gosliner et al., 2018), ahermatypic (non-reef-building) coral diversity (Cairns, 2007), and echinoid (sea urchins and their relatives) diversity (Mooi, 2014). The passage has been appropriately called “the center of the center of marine biodiversity” Carpenter & Springer, 2005).
Unfortunately, despite conservation efforts and various current protections, the area is facing environmental degradation and threats such as a recent oil spill. The VIP represents a major shipping channel in the Philippines and the shoreline of Batangas Bay is populated by numerous industries including petroleum refineries and chemical plants. However, the Champions are looking to the future. “The global attention and credibility of the Hope Spot designation will bring an immense degree of visibility, pride, and increased commitment to all stakeholders – communities, government officials and agencies, academia, and NGOs, across the VIP and the entire Philippines”, explains Dr. Licuanan.
Dr. Gosliner concludes, “Working with such dedicated and courageous partners who are deeply committed to both preserving biodiversity and securing the livelihoods of millions of people living in coastal communities has truly been a labor of love. We’re looking forward to continuing our partnership under the Hope Spot designation.”
About the California Academy of Sciences
The Institute for Biodiversity Science and Sustainability at the California Academy of Sciences is at the forefront of efforts to regenerate the natural world through science, learning, and collaboration. Based in San Francisco, the Institute is home to more than 100 world-class scientists, state-of-the-art facilities, and nearly 46 million scientific specimens from around the world. The Institute also leverages the expertise and efforts of more than 100 international Associates and 450 distinguished Fellows. Through expeditions around the globe, investigations in the lab, and analysis of vast biological datasets, the Institute’s scientists work to understand the evolution and interconnectedness of organisms and ecosystems, the threats they face around the world, and the most effective strategies for ensuring they thrive into the future. Through deeply collaborative partnerships and innovative public engagement initiatives, they also guide critical conservation decisions worldwide, inspire and mentor the next generation of scientists, and foster responsible stewardship of our planet.
About De La Salle University (DLSU)
De La Salle University positions itself as a leader in molding human resources who serve the church and the nation. It is a Catholic coeducational institution founded in 1911 by the Brothers of the Christian Schools. The University is a hub for higher education training renowned for its academic excellence, prolific and relevant research, and involved community service. The SHORE Center supports the Vision-Mission of the University by providing significant learning activities to enable faculty and students to generate knowledge and technologies that will foster good stewardship of the seas and coastlines, and lay the groundwork for community development, and social transformation, particularly among the youth and disadvantaged members of the coastal communities.
