REVERSING ENVIRONMENTAL DEGRADATION TRENDS IN THE SOUTH CHINA SEA AND GULF OF THAILAND

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Some Good Practices in the Establishment of Refugia, Sanctuaries, and Fisheries Management Systems in

the Philippines

Some Good Practices in the Establishment of Refugia, Sanctuaries, and Fisheries Management Systems in

the Philippines

3.1

3.2

3.3

3.4

66 67 68 68 70 71 72 73 74 75 76 77 78 79 80 81

Year

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REVERSING ENVIRONMENTAL DEGRADATION TRENDS IN THE SOUTH CHINA SEA AND GULF OF THAILAND

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Presentation Outline

• Establishing network of refugia and sanctuaries

• Species specific management interventions

• Some initiatives towards ecosystem approach

REVERSING ENVIRONMENTAL DEGRADATION TRENDS IN THE SOUTH CHINA SEA AND GULF OF THAILAND

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Major areas of high larval count and presumed to have intense spawning (based on Magnusson, 1970 and Tan, 1970).

Celebes Sea

Sulu Sea

SouthChina Sea

PacificOcean

MindoroStrait

MalampayaSound

Lingayen Gulf

REVERSING ENVIRONMENTAL DEGRADATION TRENDS IN THE SOUTH CHINA SEA AND GULF OF THAILAND

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LingayenGulf

ManilaBay

IlocosCoast

Batanes Islands

SubicBayZambales

MalampayaNo. Palawan

KIG

Lingayen Gulf

Manila Bay

Ilocos Coast

Subic Bay, Zambales

BatangasCoastMindoro

Strait

MalampayaSound

NorthernPalawan

KIG

CalamianesIslands

Map of western Philippines showing locations of main embayments (red squares) and other coastal areas of transboundary significance in the South China Sea.

REVERSING ENVIRONMENTAL DEGRADATION TRENDS IN THE SOUTH CHINA SEA AND GULF OF THAILAND

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Candidate refugia sites in western Philippines

1. Bolinao, Lingayen Gulf

2. Masinloc, Zambales

3. Busuanga, Calamianes

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Participants in the various consultations

• Local Government Units

• Academe

• Regional Government Agencies

• Law Enforcers (Police, Coast Guard, Navy, Bantay Dagat)

• Fisherfolk Organizations

• Non-Governmental Organizations

• People’s Organizations

• National Committee Members

REVERSING ENVIRONMENTAL DEGRADATION TRENDS IN THE SOUTH CHINA SEA AND GULF OF THAILAND

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REVERSING ENVIRONMENTAL DEGRADATION TRENDS IN THE SOUTH CHINA SEA AND GULF OF THAILAND

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General tidal circulation in Coron Bay (Villanoy 2006).

Circulation pattern

REVERSING ENVIRONMENTAL DEGRADATION TRENDS IN THE SOUTH CHINA SEA AND GULF OF THAILAND

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Simulated dispersal resulting from tidal circulation in Coron Bay (Villanoy 2006).

119.90 120.00 120.10 120.20 120.30

11.75

11.85

11.95

12.05Simulated dispersal

REVERSING ENVIRONMENTAL DEGRADATION TRENDS IN THE SOUTH CHINA SEA AND GULF OF THAILAND

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Simulated dispersal with wind effects typical of April (Villanoy 2006). Red ellipses indicate areas where settled particles originate from several sources. Grey lines indicate possible but weak dispersal, apparent only after 30 days.

119.90 120.00 120.10 120.20 120.30

11.75

11.85

11.95

12.05Simulated dispersal

REVERSING ENVIRONMENTAL DEGRADATION TRENDS IN THE SOUTH CHINA SEA AND GULF OF THAILAND

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Density (no./100m3) distribution of fish eggs in Coron Bay in April 2004 (Campos 2004)

119.90 120.00 120.10 120.20 120.30

11.75

11.85

11.95

12.05

0 to 0.01 0 .01 to 25 25 to 100 100 to 250 250 to 6596

Fish EggsFish eggs distribution

REVERSING ENVIRONMENTAL DEGRADATION TRENDS IN THE SOUTH CHINA SEA AND GULF OF THAILAND

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Density (ind./100m3) distribution of fish larvae in Coron Bay in April 2004. (Campos 2004)

Fish Larvae

119.90 120.00 120.10 120.20 120.30

11.75

11.85

11.95

12.05

0 to 0.01 0.01 to 10 10 to 25 25 to 50 50 to 182

Fish larvae distribution

REVERSING ENVIRONMENTAL DEGRADATION TRENDS IN THE SOUTH CHINA SEA AND GULF OF THAILAND

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119.90 120.00 120.10 120.20 120.30

11.75

11.85

11.95

12.05

0 to 0.01 0.01 to 2 2 to 25 25 to 65

Yolk Sac

Distribution of yolk sac larvae in Coron Bay in April 2004 (Campos 2004)

Yolk sac larvae distribution

REVERSING ENVIRONMENTAL DEGRADATION TRENDS IN THE SOUTH CHINA SEA AND GULF OF THAILAND

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Marine sanctuary sites

REVERSING ENVIRONMENTAL DEGRADATION TRENDS IN THE SOUTH CHINA SEA AND GULF OF THAILAND

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Candidate mangrove refugia

REVERSING ENVIRONMENTAL DEGRADATION TRENDS IN THE SOUTH CHINA SEA AND GULF OF THAILAND

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• Close season during spawning season

4th 5th and 6th day after the new moon

monthly for the entire year or for a few months only

• Banning of fine meshed gears catching rabbit fishes

• Banning of selling of rabbit fishes during close season

Closed Season for rabbit fish, Siganus canaliculatus

REVERSING ENVIRONMENTAL DEGRADATION TRENDS IN THE SOUTH CHINA SEA AND GULF OF THAILAND

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Siganus canaliculatusSiganus canaliculatus

Closed Season for rabbit fish, Siganus canaliculatus

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all gears

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(kg)

Catch monitoring data from various gears catching rabbit fish in Danajon Bank from May to July 2004

new moon

Closed Season for rabbit fish, Siganus canaliculatus

REVERSING ENVIRONMENTAL DEGRADATION TRENDS IN THE SOUTH CHINA SEA AND GULF OF THAILAND

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Major seagrass areas

REVERSING ENVIRONMENTAL DEGRADATION TRENDS IN THE SOUTH CHINA SEA AND GULF OF THAILAND

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Proposed temporal seagrass closed areas

REVERSING ENVIRONMENTAL DEGRADATION TRENDS IN THE SOUTH CHINA SEA AND GULF OF THAILAND

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• Size limits (12 cm carapace width?)• Minimum crab gillnet mesh size of 10 cm (4 inches)• Prohibit selling and buying of berried females• Impounding berried females (7 days?)• Zoning of crab fishing gears

Size limit on blue crab, Portunus pelagicus, and ban on harvesting of berried individuals

12 cm

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Crab gillnet

0 10 20 30

0.0 - 0.9

1.0 - 1.9

2.0 - 2.9

3.0 - 3.9

4.0 - 4.9

5.0 - 5.9

6.0 - 6.9

7.0 - 7.9

8.0 - 8.9

9.0 - 9.9

10.0 - 10.9

11.0 - 11.9

12.0 - 12.9

13.0 - 13.9

14.0 - 14.9

15.0 - 15.9

16.0 - 16.9

17.0 - 17.9

18.0 - 18.9

19.0 - 19.9

Crab liftnet

0 10 20 30

0.0 - 0.9

1.0 - 1.9

2.0 - 2.9

3.0 - 3.9

4.0 - 4.9

5.0 - 5.9

6.0 - 6.9

7.0 - 7.9

8.0 - 8.9

9.0 - 9.9

10.0 - 10.9

11.0 - 11.9

12.0 - 12.9

13.0 - 13.9

14.0 - 14.9

15.0 - 15.9

16.0 - 16.9

17.0 - 17.9

18.0 - 18.9

19.0 - 19.9

Crab pot

0 10 20 30

0.0 - 0.9

1.0 - 1.9

2.0 - 2.9

3.0 - 3.9

4.0 - 4.9

5.0 - 5.9

6.0 - 6.9

7.0 - 7.9

8.0 - 8.9

9.0 - 9.9

10.0 - 10.9

11.0 - 11.9

12.0 - 12.9

13.0 - 13.9

14.0 - 14.9

15.0 - 15.9

16.0 - 16.9

17.0 - 17.9

18.0 - 18.9

19.0 - 19.9

Length at maturity

Size limit on blue crab, Portunus pelagicus, and ban on harvesting of berried individuals

REVERSING ENVIRONMENTAL DEGRADATION TRENDS IN THE SOUTH CHINA SEA AND GULF OF THAILAND

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REVERSING ENVIRONMENTAL DEGRADATION TRENDS IN THE SOUTH CHINA SEA AND GULF OF THAILAND

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REVERSING ENVIRONMENTAL DEGRADATION TRENDS IN THE SOUTH CHINA SEA AND GULF OF THAILAND

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REVERSING ENVIRONMENTAL DEGRADATION TRENDS IN THE SOUTH CHINA SEA AND GULF OF THAILAND

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Length frequency distribution of Plectropomus leopardus in Calamianes in 1998 (Mamauag et al. 2002)

500g - 1,000g

2 - 4 years old

Lm

Immature Super spawners

Minimum and maximum size limit for red grouper, Plectropomus leopardus, in Calamianes

REVERSING ENVIRONMENTAL DEGRADATION TRENDS IN THE SOUTH CHINA SEA AND GULF OF THAILAND

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Length frequency distribution of sexual development stages of Plectropomus leopardus in Calamianes (Mamauag 1997)

Sex Selectivity?

50

0g -

1,0

00

g

Lm

Immature

Super spawners

Minimum and maximum size limit for red grouper, Plectropomus leopardus, in Calamianes

REVERSING ENVIRONMENTAL DEGRADATION TRENDS IN THE SOUTH CHINA SEA AND GULF OF THAILAND

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Ban on harvest of berried lobster

REVERSING ENVIRONMENTAL DEGRADATION TRENDS IN THE SOUTH CHINA SEA AND GULF OF THAILAND

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Rastrelliger kanagurta

0 50 100 150 200

ring net

danish seine

dynamite

Multiple handline

Surface set gillnet

Drift gillnet

simple hook and line

Set gillnet for rays

Rastrelliger brachysoma

0 20 40 60 80 100

Bag net

ring net

dynamite

danish seine

Set gillnet forrays

Naturalpoisons

Surface setgillnet

Multiplehandline

Drift gillnet

Ban on fine meshed fishing gears catching juveniles

REVERSING ENVIRONMENTAL DEGRADATION TRENDS IN THE SOUTH CHINA SEA AND GULF OF THAILAND

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r oph

ic le

vel

Tr o

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leve

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PhytoplanktonPhytoplankton

Top predatorsTop predators

Prey fishPrey fish

ZooplanktonZooplankton

. . . . . . .... .. .. .. .. .. .. .. *.*. .. .. ... . ..*.*.

*.*.*.*.*.*.

*.*.*.*.*.*.

10% 10%

10% 10%

10% 10%

*.*.

44

33

22

11

Trophic level: the concept

REVERSING ENVIRONMENTAL DEGRADATION TRENDS IN THE SOUTH CHINA SEA AND GULF OF THAILAND

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1 Pelagic piscivoresbawo, talakitok, kubal-kubal, balila, bat-og, lapis, tangigi, diwit

2 Soft-bottom piscivores ubod, tiki-tiki, sunugan, banghutin

3 Reef-associated piscivores ahaan, islawan, awman, panangitan, gawot, pugapo

4 Squids nokos taroroton, bisaya, kubotan, buko-buko

5 Soft-bottom zoobenthos feeders

moong, sapsap, caraballas, samook, bogo, timbungan, asoos, bugaong

6 Reef-associated zoobenthos feeders

pakol, ngisi-ngisi, kyampaw, lipti, labayan, lupit, katambak, tad, lagaw, tuwas, silay

7 Blue crabs lambay, kasag

8 Shrimps pasayan, locon, lunhan, bulit

9 Pelagic planktivores tamarong, tikab, anduhaw

10 Sardines hilos-hilos, mangsi, gilang, maubgas

11 Coastal planktivores guno, bolinao, libgao, solid

12 Demersal herbivores banak, gisaw, molmol

13 Rabbitfish danggit, kitong, samaral

14 Sergestids uyap

Trophic groups

REVERSING ENVIRONMENTAL DEGRADATION TRENDS IN THE SOUTH CHINA SEA AND GULF OF THAILAND

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pasayan (shrimps)

lambay, kasag (crabs)

banak, gisaw (algal grazers, herbivores)

bawo, talakitok, tangigi (pelagic piscivores)

ahaan, awman, pugawo (reef piscivores)

Tro

phic

leve

l

1

2

3

4

potpot, moong, timbungan

(soft-bottom zoobenthos feeders)mangsi, gilang

maubgas (sardines)

bolinao, guno (coastal planktivores)

AlgaeDetritusPhytoplankton

Zooplankton

Average trophic level = 2.89

REVERSING ENVIRONMENTAL DEGRADATION TRENDS IN THE SOUTH CHINA SEA AND GULF OF THAILAND

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A Collapse of management regime

Increase of trawls, Danish seines, and blast fishing activities

B Partial/haphazard management interventions

Removal of all illegal and destructive gears and effort redistributed indiscriminately

C Appropriate management options in place

Removal of all illegal and destructive gears and effort redistributed appropriately

Simulation

REVERSING ENVIRONMENTAL DEGRADATION TRENDS IN THE SOUTH CHINA SEA AND GULF OF THAILAND

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-5%

0%

5%

10%

15%

20%

25%

30%

0 1 2 3 4 5 6

Year

% c

hang

e in

bio

mas

s

No management

Partial management

Sound management

Trend in harvestable biomass in years following intervention

REVERSING ENVIRONMENTAL DEGRADATION TRENDS IN THE SOUTH CHINA SEA AND GULF OF THAILAND

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0.0 0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4 0.5 0.6 0.7 0.8

Soft-bottom zoobenthos feeders

Blue crabs

Sardines

Pelagic piscivores

Reef-assoc. zoob. feeders

Coastal planktivores

Squids

Pelagic planktivores

Shrimps

Rabbitfish

Demersal grazers/herbiv.

Reef-associated piscivores

Soft-bottom piscivores

Octopus

Other crabs

Sergestids

2005 2007 2010

Group 2007 2010

Sardines - 54% - 66%

Octopus - 40% - 65%

Pel. piscivores - 19% - 23%

Rabbitfish - 18% - 25%

Shrimps - 4% - 7%

2007 2010

Overall harvestable biomass 3.35 t/km2 3.28 t/km2

% change + 0.8% - 1.4%

Group 2007 2010

Blue crabs + 23% + 25%

Coast.planktivores + 17% + 16%

Other crabs + 16% + 13%

Soft-bottom zoob. feeders

+ 14% +14 %

No management

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0.00 0.25 0.50 0.75 1.00 1.25

Soft-bottom zoobenthos feeders

Blue crabs

Sardines

Pelagic piscivores

Reef-assoc. zoob. feeders

Coastal planktivores

Squids

Pelagic planktivores

Shrimps

Rabbitfish

Demersal grazers/herbiv.

Reef-associated piscivores

Soft-bottom piscivores

Octopus

Other crabs

Sergestids

2005 2007 2010

Group 2007 2010

Pel. piscivores + 134% + 136%

Reef piscivores + 124% + 135%

Octopus + 120% + 133%

Soft-bottom pisci. + 105% + 120%

Squids + 102% + 117%

Rabbitfish + 97% + 97%

Shrimps + 35% + 53%

Group 2007 2010

Overall harvestable biomass 4.03 t/km2 4.16 t/km2

% change + 21.3% + 25.1%

Group 2007 2010

Blue crabs - 69% - 75%

Pel. Ppanktivores - 69% - 90%

Sergestids - 15% - 19%

Partial management

REVERSING ENVIRONMENTAL DEGRADATION TRENDS IN THE SOUTH CHINA SEA AND GULF OF THAILAND

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0.0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 1.0

Soft-bottom zoobenthos feeders

Blue crabs

Sardines

Pelagic piscivores

Reef-assoc. zoob. feeders

Coastal planktivores

Squids

Pelagic planktivores

Shrimps

Rabbitfish

Demersal grazers/herbiv.

Reef-associated piscivores

Soft-bottom piscivores

Octopus

Other crabs

Sergestids

2005 2007 2010

2007 2010

Overall harvestable biomass 3.92 t/km2 3.90 t/km2

% change + 18.0% + 17.3%

Group 2007 2010

Pelagic plank. - 95% - 100%

Reef-assoc. zoob. Feeders

- 10% - 18%

Group 2007 2010

Octopus + 143% + 162%

Pel. Pisci. + 127% + 121%

Squids + 124% + 129%

Rabbitfish + 80% + 80%

Soft-bottom pisci. + 77% + 78%

Sardines + 65% + 60%

Reef-assoc. pisci. + 54% + 59%

Crabs + 23% + 26%

Sound management

REVERSING ENVIRONMENTAL DEGRADATION TRENDS IN THE SOUTH CHINA SEA AND GULF OF THAILAND

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• Collapse of management regime will lead to overall decline of the harvestable biomass

• Partial management will lead to the biggest overall increase in the harvestable biomass but drastic decline of important commodity like the “blue crab”

• Sound management will lead to a moderate increase in the harvestable biomass but increase in the desirable species especially the carnivores

Summary of results of simulation