I Introduction

Fishing is the main source of livelihood for a great majority of the Palawan populace, supplying a large percentage of fish and other marine products to Manila, Batangas, Cebu and other areas of the country, as well as the export market. The Palawan seas were famously abundant with a great variety of marine products and thus inevitably exploited to the maximum. Then, the sea, as with all of Mother Nature, was all-giving, making fishing a very lucrative business for all concerned. The small fisherman would always catch enough to feed his family, to stock up on dried fish for rainy days, plus have more than enough to sell for rice and other basic necessities, and some extra for home improvement and simple luxuries. The same cannot be said of the small fisherman today.

The last ten to fifteen years have seen a steep and critical decline in the fish harvests of the entire province, possibly of the entire country. Trend maps in the CRMP study of the San Vicente area show that the fish catch has dwindled from an average of over a hundred kilos per person per day in 1980 to less than ten kilos in 1996-97 and may be one or two kilos in 2007 ! (Rhythm of the Sea, Coastal Environmental Profile of San Vicente, Palawan)

This is due in part to the population problem-having more mouths to feed definitely can lead to overfishing-but mainly is caused by the fact that fishing methods have become much too efficient and destructive in recent years: dragnets that scrape the ocean bottom like bulldozers wreaking havoc on the sea beds; dynamite that wipes out entire schools of fish and other marine life in the vicinity in one blow; sodium-cyanide used to stun fish for live export to stock the aquariums of plush seafood restaurants here and abroad; compressor-aided fishing methods that are undeniably detrimental to the health of the untrained divers who stay underwater for hours, sometimes at depths of 20-30 fathoms, and surface without the necessary decompression, in order to serve the tropical spiny lobster to uninformed tourists (both foreign and local); and the list goes on.

Mother Nature is being raped over and over and over again, her womb, the sea, is torn and bleeding, she has not much more to give. Ravaged and depleted forests forced a total log ban; now our seas are being devastated. But what are the options of our fishermen and fishing communities?

II Background of the Daplac Bay Fish Sanctuary &
Marine Reserve

Daplac Bay is a natural port surrounded and protected almost 360° by the rugged hills of Boayan Island off the northwestern coast of Palawan, in the Municipality of San Vicente. The bay, blue lagoon-like, opens up to the China Sea and is a refuge for yachts, fishing vessels and other crafts during inclement weather and rough seas. It is situated approximately 63 km. south of El Nido, and about 48 km. north of the St. Paul's Subterranean Park.

(map of northern palawan)

The bay has an area of more than 80 hectares, 80% of which are coral reefs struggling to stay alive. These same reefs once were beautiful marine gardens perfect for snorkeling and easy diving, abundant with life and home to a large variety of coral fish, moray eels, sea turtles, rays of all sorts, octopus, cuttlefish, shells and clams including the supposedly protected giant clam (taklobo), lobsters, reef sharks and so much more. Big pelagic fish would come in to nest and hunt-the spanish and king mackarels, jacks, barracuda, sharks, etc. But because of this richness and variety, the bay was also a favorite spot for all-season fishing and reef gleaning at low tide. And like everywhere else, the population multiplied, their needs became greater and fishing methods grew harsher, thus depleting marine populations and destroying their fragile habitat. Today, the beauty of Daplac Bay is mainly on the surface, with its coastline of white sandy coves interspersed with craggy rocks, and beaches sloping gently into the sea.

Although not completely barren, the underwater landscape has been unmistakeably, sorely damaged, and only with time and great effort might it be restored to its lost splendour, like a city recovering from war.

Sitio Daplac is the small fishing community situated at the mouth of the bay, its residents almost completely dependent on fish for their daily existence. It is a community of mainly hook-and-line (kawil) fishermen who are now enduring the effects of a depleted and damaged sea-smaller catch, smaller fish, having to go further out to sea in search of the much-prized live lapu-lapu. All this led to the idea of a fish sanctuary.

After much discussion, the sitio chairman spearheaded the writing of a petition letter (appendix A) for the establishment of a fish sanctuary. This was later expanded to a marine reserve, with full support from both the sitio and baranggay councils. The letter was circulated and unanimously agreed upon and signed by all the heads of households in Daplac. The petition was then submitted to the Municipal Council of San Vicente, where it awaits the Sangguniang Bayan resolution for a Municipal Ordinance to be passed.

The Daplac Bay Fish Sanctuary & Marine Reserve is in the birthing process and is in great need of external aid, given the scarce resources of the local municipality and the even scarcer resources of the Daplac community. This can be looked upon as a model for the entire San Vicente municipality as it will be the first reserve in the region initiated by the people themselves.

Aside from the rich variety of marine flora and fauna, the lagoon-like bay makes an ideal marine reserve as guardianship and monitoring would be relatively simple: with only one entrance and exit by sea into the bay, which is in front of Sitio Daplac, illegal activity can easily be spotted and arrested. The residents are determined to protect this area, knowing that the success of the reserve will be their success, and to their benefit.

III The Community Beneficiaries

Primary Beneficiary : Sitio Daplac

Sitio Daplac is made up of approximately 40 to 50 households, depending on the season. As mentioned, it is a community of mainly hook-and-line (kawil) fishermen dependent on and in deep financial debt to the fish traders. Most of the settlers in Sitio Daplac do not own the land on which their homes stand. The cove in which Sitio Daplac is situated is divided into four separate plots of land owned by four different individuals, three of whom have consented to have people settle on their land.

Some of the settlers practice slash-and-burn (kaingin) further up the hills above the sitio or in other parts of Boayan Island and plant cassava (kamoteng kahoy), cashew trees, sweet potato (kamoteng bagin) and other cash crops to help sustain them through difficult seasons. Slash-and-burn farming causes siltation and soil erosion, especially during the rainy season, contributing eventually to the degradation of the coral reefs.

Although fresh water is abundant, there is no potable drinking water system nor a system of running water. Two wells serve the community, for cooking and washing, but drinking water has to be fetched from the springs up in the hills. Hygiene and sanitation are a big problem still in that there are very few toilets with septic tanks and no real solid waste disposal system. Most residents do not have electricity despite the presence of two privately-owned generators in the community, one of which powers a small karaoke bar/club frequented by locals.

There is a small day care center for pre-school children set up and subsidized by the Barangay Council. One day care worker, charged with 15 to 20 children from 3 to 6 years of age, is expected to work with bare minimum educational materials, tools and toys in a minimum of space. There is much to be done in the community, and the people are willing, but the resources are scarce.

Secondary Beneficiaries : Sitio Pulang Bato & Sitio Casoyan

Although the two other sitios on Boayan Island have profiles similar to that of Sitio Daplac, they differ in important aspects. Most of their catch is either dried and exported to Manila or sold to the fresh fish buyer, depending on the prices of the day. At least four families are known to practice compressor-aided fishing, each owning at least two compressors and two bancas. While a gill net is laid around a small reef, divers hooked up to compressors with air hoses drive fish into the net by any means, often causing trauma and damage to wildlife and reefs-forcing compressed air into reef holes to chase out fish, the trapped air in the core of the corals rendering them unlivable for the marine life; stunning the fish with sodium cyanide which decimates all fingerlings and marine life nearby; slamming the coral formations with metal rods to frighten fish from their protective hiding places, and maiming the corals for life. By night, divers with their compressors scour hectares of reefs with powerful lights catching, by hand or spear, every valuable life form that passes in their light's beam (most fish freeze in the bright light), and lobsters for instance are plucked by hand, indiscriminate of size or whether it is laden with eggs. In the wake of the compressor fishers, there are barely signs of life left in the reef.

These ruthless people may be in the minority, but the harm they inflict on the marine ecosystem is immeasurable. Already, many families have had to look for alternative sources of income that have nothing to do with the sea, but they have nowhere to turn to as capital (eg., low interest loans) is not readily available to them.

Sitio Pulang Bato is host to the grade school that services Boayan Island. The school has a student population of about 30 to 40 students from grades one to six, after which the students go on to the high school in San Vicente proper, on the Palawan mainland, a good 40-minute banca ride from the island. Only two teachers administrate the grade school, under the supervision of the municipal DECS supervisor. Although schooling is free, students barely have the necessary tools for learning that all students should have, such as pencils, notebooks, paper, etc., not to mention books to read. A new pencil is a luxury here and is looked upon with envy by the other students. Although the school has toilet facilities, water comes from a shared well in the sitio proper which the children take turns in fetching.

Sitio Casoyan is regarded as the local fish port. Here the fish buyers dock to fill their storage hulls with seafood from the local fishermen before sailing back to their ports of origin-usually Batangas, Manila, or Cebu.

IV Objectives of the Fish Sanctuary & Marine Reserve

1) To protect the coral reefs and other marine habitats and allow them to flourish undisturbed within Daplac Bay, believed to be nesting grounds of an invaluable variety of marine flora and fauna;
2) To replenish the richness of the seas in and around the area of Daplac Bay and Boayan Island;
3) To stop the use of illegal and destructive fishing methods in and around the area of Daplac Bay and Boayan Island;
4) To raise the livelihood levels of the people of Sitio Daplac and others on Boayan Island, and to provide opportunities for alternative livelihood sources such as eco-tourism & organic farming;
5) To help raise the standard of living in the communities, including sanitation and hygiene, through education and information drives, and basic infrastructure (water systems);
6) To care for our environment for the future of our children.

V Programs

For the Daplac Bay Fish Sanctuary & Marine Reserve

Visual and physical markers of the Fish Sanctuary & Marine Reserve must be put in place to establish the boundaries of the no fishing zone. Once established, the sanctity of the Marine Reserve must be enforced through constant monitoring and guardianship, which will entail some means of transportation and communication for efficient surveillance and prompt contact with local authorities. This will discourage illegal fishermen and poachers not only within the Reserve, but its environs as well.

Moorings for boats will have to be installed to avoid indiscriminate anchoring which may further destroy the corals, especially for pleasure and cruise yachts which cannot be beached.

An information campaign will have to be instigated to inform both locals and prospective visitors of the policies that will direct their conduct in the Reserve. Simple flyers or brochures, T-shirts, as well as audio-visual presentations to be held in the various communities of San Vicente.

For Community Improvement and Basic Services

Given the profiles of the communities of Boayan Island, namely Sitios Daplac, Pulang Bato & Casoyan, there is much that needs to be done to help them improve their surroundings and their standard of living, even before livelihood issues can be discussed. Although malnutrition is high, it is not too severe as was the case in Negros during the big sugar crisis years ago. The problems boil down to mis-education, insufficient information, and a general lack of exposure, simply put, apart from the general economic crisis affecting everyone, especially difficult for those who had very little to begin with.

In initial meetings among community leaders, it was agreed that the focus of this particular phase in the program development would be Sitio Daplac, being the community mainly responsible for the Marine Reserve, which has become a converging point for the locals. The improvement of basic services will initiate with Sitio Daplac and the school in Sitio Pulang Bato. Education, and sanitation (ie., solid waste disposal) training will be general to all the communities of Boayan Island and others that are interested. The development of the eco-tourism aspect of the Reserve cannot be conceived without the availability first of basic necessities such as water, sanitation facilities such as toilets and a solid waste disposal system.

The following are the specific modules envisioned for this phase :

1. Installation of a potable running water system for Sitio Daplac
2. Setting up of, and training for, a solid waste disposal system (handled in coordination with the Local Government units)
3. Training and education on community health, hygiene and sanitation for adults and children
4. Improvement of day care center facilities
5. Training and education on the basics of environmental management
6. Establishment of a seedling bank & reforestation program

Alternative Livelihood Programs

Boayan Island is inhabited by fisherfolk and their families, but the sea is overfished and abused and is no longer able to meet the simple needs of the fisherfolk, much less the demands of the market. The fisherfolk are receptive to, and in dire need of alternative livelihood options. Already some have turned to seaweed farming but there are not many locations suitable for this. And monoculture is unhealthy and its consequences real if the entire community should be involved in the same venture. At a glance, the local market needs are varied and so we have narrowed down the possibilities to the following :

1. Small-scale poultry & livestock farming
2. Backyard organic vegetable farming
3. Services for eco-tourism

VI Management of Programs of The Daplac Bay Fish
Sanctuary & Marine Reserve

The management aspect of this proposal has been kept as simple as possible, rejecting the creation of complicating offices and titles as has been done in other community environmental programs. This is to avoid confusion and to enable the community to fully grasp the mechanics of the reserve and its programs; as well as promote a streamlined efficiency, and encourage the natural evolution and development of community leadership and management.

Although the establishment of the Marine Reserve and the programs that fall under this proposal are mainly a private endeavor, these must be implemented with close consultation and cooperation with the Local Government unit, specifically the Mayor's Office and the Baranggay Council.

The management of the Daplac Bay Fish Sanctuary and Marine Reserve will therefore be spearheaded by the Advisory Council, made up of representatives from the Local Government units, the private sector in the San Vicente area, as well as the Program Coordinator of the Daplac Bay Committee, and the chairperson of Sitio Daplac. This council's function will primarily be consultative, while real implementation will rest with the Daplac Bay Management Committee and the Program Coordinator. The Program Coordinator chairs the Management Committee and will be responsible for the supervision and smooth implementation of programs, as well as documentation and disbursement of funding that is granted.

The Daplac Bay Committee will elect a separate treasurer to handle counterpart local funding raised from local endeavors. The members of this committee will be nominated from the communities on Boayan Island, mainly from Sitio Daplac. They will work with the Program Coordinator to fulfill the objectives of the Marine Reserve as stipulated in this proposal, and to see through the implementation and evolution of the programs.

VII Conclusion

The United Nations Environmental Program recently published the World Atlas of Coral Reefs which sites the Philippines as the third largest reef nation after Indonesia and Australia. "The study shows that the corral reefs occupy a much smaller area of the planet than previously thought- about 284,000 square kilometers, or half the size of France, although they are distributed in more than 100 countries and territories."

"They are rapidly being degraded by human activities. They are overfished, bombed and poisoned," said Klaus Toepfer, executive director of the UN Environmental Program, referring to the practice widespread in Southeast Asia of using explosives and cyanide to stun fish. "They are smothered by sediment and choked by algae growing on nutrient-rich sewage and fertilizer run-off. They are damaged by irresponsible tourism and are being severely stressed by the warming of the world's oceans. Each of these pressures is bad enough in itself, but together, the cocktail is proving lethal." (International Herald Tribune, 11 Sept. 2001)

Mr. Toepfer further states "that the reefs supported between 60 and 70% of the world's fish stocks," and are home to as many as 100,000 known species and probably 2 million unknown. It is in this biodiversity that the pharmaceutical industry is concentrating more than half its cancer drug research; and "the drug AZT, used to treat people with HIV and AIDS, is based on chemicals extracted from a reef sponge in the Caribbean." What other miracles of the sea can be revealed by research if our seas are protected and cared for?

It is evident that the protection of our reefs is more than vital to the survival of humanity, and every square meter counts. Humans have been the major contributor to reef destruction, but humans too can rebuild and protect the reefs and make a vital difference. A major portion of the world's reefs are in the third world, in Indonesia and the Philippines, and the majority in these parts are ill-informed and forced into a corner by too few options. We can no longer afford poverty and ignorance.

This proposal is only the beginning of our development work on Boayan Island and the Municipality of San Vicente. Although other developmental and environmental efforts are in place, they mostly are concentrated in the more popular tourist areas of Port Barton and its environs. And these have so far not been very effective due to a high dependence on local governments, which run short three-year terms. The organization of the Daplac Bay Management Committee will work independently of local government but in close coordination with them to ensure a continuity of the programs.

VIII Local Counterpart Projects

The following are some projects being planned not only to raise funds locally for the Daplak Bay Fish Sanctuary & Marine Reserve but also to support some of the projects stipulated in this proposal. These are all in the stages of evolution and may change or be adjusted or added to depending on the needs and opportunities that arise.

1. Scholarships to the UP run Barefoot Doctors Program in Leyte for two people to train as community health workers and midwives. This is being provided by a private foundation but the scholars will be chosen by the barangay council and the community.
2. Medical Exchange Missions will be set up with volunteer doctors from France and Manila. The doctors will come for short periods of time to work with the community health workers and to administer health care and even minor surgery if necessary.
3. The Night of the Turtles will be a series of fundraising concerts/parties to be held on one of the white sandy beach coves of Boayan Island during the dry season. Tickets will be sold locally and to tourists through the internet for an evening fiesta of music and dancing to honor the turtles.
4. Mooring and docking fees will be charged to all tourists who visit the area of the marine reserve.
5. An environmental protection fund will be established which will be partially raised through the abovementioned projects.

home