Study Of Coral Reefs Points To Challenges Of Conservation In The Philippines

March 16, 2010 - PRLog -- The Philippines needs to strengthen the conservation of coral reefs to improve adaptation to climate change, according to a researcher from the University of the Philippines.

The majority of coastal communities in the Philippines rely heavily upon marine resources for sustenance and income. However, overfishing, destructive fishing methods and sedimentation and climate change have damaged or destroyed many reef areas. Various programmes have and are trying to counter coral reef decline by establishing sustainable management activities.

Coral reefs may be on the verge of extinction but according to Rodelio Subade, a researcher from the University of the Philippines Visayas, no matter how dire the threat to corals has become there is still time to save them or at least slow down the damage.

The most significant threats facing coral reefs in this region are overfishing, destructive fishing practices, and coral bleaching.

To investigate what options might be available for improved marine conservation and management in the Philippines, Subade, in his study, used economic valuation to demonstrate the economic values of the coral reefs around the islands.

Specifically, the study looked at the willingness of people to pay for the conservation of the Philippines’ world renowned national marine nature reserve, the Tubbataha Reefs Marine Park. It found that a sizeable percentage of those surveyed would be willing to pay, and that if this potential income stream was tapped, it would more than cover the cost of protecting the reserve.

“ Lack of funding and effective institutions to implement conservation activities are the main obstacles to implement conservation programs in the country,” he said. “ But we need to protect the biologically-rich coral reefs through intensified protection and preservation efforts.”

Determining and tapping their economic values are vital aspects of conservation to ensure coral reefs sustainability, Subade added. He presented the policy impact of his study during a gathering of Asian researchers at the 2010 Impact Conference organized by the Economy and Environment Program for Southeast Asia (EEPSEA) in Hanoi, Vietnam last month. EEPSEA is a program supported by the International Development Research Centre of Canada (IDRC), the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (SiDA) and the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA).


The Tubbataha Reefs Marine Park, is an existing UNESCO World Heritage Site in the Philippines and which includes a number of endangered species, The National Park harbors more than 350 species of coral and almost 500 species of fish.
The contingent valuation method (CVM) was used to find out how much people in Quezon City, Cebu City and Puerto Princesa would be willing to contribute to a conservation trust fund for the Park.

“In our study, people were most willing to pay because they thought it was important to conserve the marine park for future generation,” Subade said.  In addition, government should step up effort for public awareness on coral reefs conservation in the country.”

He, however, added that this EEPSEA funded study on coral reefs was well-cited by conservation groups and the Philippine government in their marine resource management policy and programs.

“ The significance of this study cannot be ignored," notes Subade. " The goal here is sustainable use of marine resources. By demonstrating and communicating the economic values of coral reefs, and subsequently tapping such for conservation financing, society will be able to sustain conservation. We therefore need an effective conservation program to protect the country’s unique and rich nature. "

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EEPSEA supports training and research in environmental & resource economics. It uses a networking approach to provide financial and technical support to researchers in Southeast Asia.