Apo Reef closes for fishing, opens for tourism.
16/05/2006 00:00:00 October 2007. From 2nd of October 2007, all extractive activities such as fishing, collection and harvesting of any life form will be completely banned from within Apo Reef Natural Park; the whole of Apo Reef has been declared a ‘no-take zone’ to allow the reef and its residents ample time to recover from years of fishing.
Dwarfed only by Australia’s Great Barrier Reef, Apo Reef Natural Park (ARNP) is situated 15 nautical miles west of Mindoro in the Philippines. It is a major component of the earth’s coral triangle, covering a total of 27,469ha (15,792ha for the actual reef and 11,677ha as a protective buffer zone).
Just over 30 years ago, the park was one of the world’s premier diving destinations. Godofreido Mintu, Mayor of Sablayan and key to the park’s newfound protection, recalls, ‘Granted, everyone wanted to see its reefs, but it was much more than that. The entire coast was also a vast fishing ground. Even during the height of its destruction in the 1980s, you could still catch a basket-load of fish in minutes. It truly was the jewel of Mindoro.’
In biodiversity terms, the numbers are impressive. At least 385 species of fish, from the diminutive Bicolor Blenny to the couch-sized Napoleon Wrasse swim amidst 190 coral, 26 algae and 7seagrass species. Larger residents and transients include the Manta Ray Sperm Whale and various species of sea turtle. Sea birds too, are well represented, with at least 46 migratory and resident species, including the famed Nicobar Pigeon, roosting regularly on Apo’s three main islands.
Sadly, the 1970s brought dynamite, cyanide, muro-ami and strobe-fishing to Apo Reef. Says former Protected Area Superintendent Robert Duquil, ‘You would hear 25 to 30 dynamite blasts daily. In terms of destructive fishing methods, you name it – it was done here.’ People from as far as Cebu and Navotas would set sail for Apo to reel in the bounty. The 1980s the international diving community lost interest in the area, and destructive activities prevailed.
In 1994, a survey found that the remaining coral cover covered just over 33% of the reef. The reef was finally decreed a Natural Park on the 6th of September 1996. However enforcement proved lax and illegal fishing methods persisted.
Explains Duquil, ‘Since we couldn’t catch all violators, a zoning system was set up to try to limit the damage. The 50 / 50 zoning system was finally implemented in 1999, allowing fishermen limited access to the reef’s eastern side. Unfortunately this didn’t stop them from harvesting from the western face.
Further threats
A major blow was struck by Mother Nature herself when in 1998, a sudden El Niño outburst raised ocean temperatures, prompting a massive bleaching episode and the death of countless corals. The latest threat comes armed with 20 poisonous arms and consumes up to 30 square feet of live coral annually. Says WWF Officer Gregg Yan, ‘Most reefs in the Indo-Pacific host a small population of the coral-eating Crown-of-Thorns Starfish, unfortunately, Apo is plagued by millions – probably due to a lack of natural predators like the Giant Triton, Napoleon Wrasse and Harlequin Shrimp. Last week we collected over a thousand. But if their predators aren’t protected, the Crown-of-Thorns will be here to stay.’
Naturally some groups oppose the changes. ‘Where are we supposed to fish now?’ asks Rasul Cabalyero, 36, of Sablayan. About one in ten fishermen are protesting the park’s closure.
Alternative sources for fishing are already being developed and installed. Giant fish aggregation devices, locally termed Payaw, have been installed a few kilometres from the coast. Says Mintu, ‘We have just had eight Payaws installed. We’ll bolster them with 10 more.’ The crude but effective devices are composed of a buoy, a counterweight, and anywhere from 10 to 15 giant coconut fronds. Algae growths on the decomposing fronds attract herbivores such as surgeon and rabbitfish, which then draw in larger predators.
Says Elmo Bijona, a local group leader, ‘A single Payaw can yield at least 15-kg daily of good fish per boat. ‘There’s resistance now because people fear change,’ explains Mintu. ‘But in the long run, they will benefit from this. Tourists will come back. Sablayan will once again be known worldwide. Mark my words – these protesters will thank us in a year’s time.’
The Future of Apo Reef
Tangible impacts of this method have already been felt in the nearby Tubbataha Reefs, where fish biomass practically doubled from 2004 to 2005.
In 2003, another assessment was made. Coral cover was back at 43%. In 2006 it rose to 52%. And if a 20% increase in 13 years isn’t good enough, bigger and bigger fish are returning. ‘A few months back, divers saw a school of over a hundred Scalloped Hammerhead sharks,’ recalls Yan. ‘Groups of Manta and Eagle Rays have been sighted in ever-higher concentrations. Even giants like the Whaleshark and Sperm Whale are being seen regularly, an indicator that biodiversity levels are returning: and a reef’s biodiversity is a prime indicator of its resiliency – its ability to deal with future threats.’
In time, the increased fish-stocks generated by the recovering reefs should be more than enough to seed outlying areas sustainably. Adds Mintu, ‘Nature has its own process of recovering, but it should be aided by human intervention. In the end, everyone will win.’
