MARINE ECOSYSTEM

AND
COASTAL RESOURCES MANAGEMENT

EDGARDO C. ZABALA, JR.

Aquaculturist – II
Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Management Division
OFFICE OF THE PROVINCIAL AGRICULTURE
Provincial Government of Palawan
Puerto Princesa City
BAKIT BA NATIN
KAILANGANG
PANGALAGAAN
ANG ATING
KARAGATAN?
ANO-ANO BA ANG ATING
NAKIKITA SA ATING
BAYBAYING DAGAT?

> May Buhay

> Walang Buhay
> + = Ecosystem
MAJOR HABITATS:
● Mangrove

● Seagrass

● Corals
 ● 50 species worldwide & 16 species in
the Philippines
Types of Seagrasses commonly found in the
Philippines

Halodule
Cymodocea Syringodium

Enhalus

Halophila Thalassia
Serves as:
> shelter
> provide nutrients
> hold bottom soil through its
root system
 Corals are
actually tiny
animals called
polyps that live
in colonies
underwater,
either in
patches or
extensive reefs.
Coral polyps
 Each colony is
composed of
thousands of tiny
polyps. Polyps
secrete salivary
calcium carbonate
material that
hardens to form the
rigid structural
mass of the reefs.
Atolls
An atoll is a ring-shaped coral reef, consisting of a coral
rim that encircles a lagoon.
 CORALS

≈ are found mostly in warm shallow

tropical seas;
≈ grow best in depths up to 20meters
and rarely found over 40m;
≈ can live up to 35°C.
CORALS
● can grow (massive reef) at a rate of only 9mm per
year.
● support up to 3,000 species of plants & animals.
● provide 16-20MT of fish/sq. km/year (excellent
condition)
- 5MT/sq. km/year (poor condition)
- 25MT to protected areas adjacent to
sanctuaries
● 37% in good condition
 Palawan
Provincial Fisheries Profile:

- Estimated water bodies:

49,408 sq. km.
- Coastline : 2,000 kilometers
- Coral reef : 9,800 sq. km.
- Mangrove forest: 31,515 ha.
- River :2,600 hectares
- Lakes :750 hectares
 THREATS TO
COASTAL & MARINE
ENVIRONMENT

There are many natural threats…

But the damage cannot be compared with

that of human activities…
Overexploitation

The removal of a resource at a rate much

faster than they can be replaced either
naturally or artificially is the most basic
threat.
Destructive Fishing Techniques

- Poison Fishing
- Explosive Fishing
- Electric Fishing
- Fishing Gears/Gadgets
Poison Fishing
Effect of Cyanide on Corals:
-corals exposed to cyanide die;
-corals remain intact as compared to
dynamite which are fragmented;
-coral heads initially take on a bleached
appearance and later become encrusted
with algae.
Poison Fishing
Effect of Cyanide Fishing to
Resources:
-reduced food supply
-loss of
income/unemployment
-reduction in tourism
 Cost of Coastal
Degradation
Poison fishing revenue is only
$ 10,700 compared to losses of
$ 40,800 from loss of tourism and
$ 58,300 from foregone fishery
income.
Explosives Explosive fishing and its impact
Fishing on coral reef ecosystems:
• Inhibits the growth of new corals. The
sediment left behind from blast fishing
makes it difficult for juvenile corals to
settle and grow.
• Destroys habitat (disrupts the
ecological food chain. Recovery, if
possible, may take decades)
• Reduces fish stocks
• Disrupts the food web and ecosystem
balance
Explosives
Fishing Explosive fishing and the
costs to society:
• Loss of fishery jobs & income. A
sustainable fishery can produce jobs for
approximately 10,000 fishers for many
years and generate upwards of US
$321.8 million in income over a 25-year
period (Cesar, 1997). However, the
pervasiveness of overfishing results in
massive societal loss, estimated at US
$1.9 billion over twenty years (White,
1998).
Explosives
Explosive fishing and the costs to
Fishing
society:
• Loss of coastal protection and
tourism. For example, in Indonesia the
net cost from loss of coastal protection
and tourism is US $46 million over a
25-year horizon (Pet-Soede, 2000).

• Loss of lives. Bombs can explode

prematurely and result in severe
injury and death.
 Cost of Coastal
Degradation
The net present value of benefits from blast
fishing to individuals over 25 years (10% rate) is
only $ 14,600 compared to losses of more than
$ 400,000 from loss of tourism potential; more
than $ 190,000 from loss of coastal protection;
and about $ 108,000 from foregone sustainable
fishery income, all dependent on a healthy coral
reef (Alcala & Russ, 1990; McManus et al, 1992).
 Cost of Coastal
Degradation
Good to excellent coral reefs can produce 20
tons or more of fish & other edible products
per km2/yr. Once destroyed by use of
dynamite or cyanide, production may reduced
to less than 4 ton/km2/yr. The Sustainable
catch from a good reef for over 10 years is
about 200 tons while the destroyed reef catch
over the same period is only 72 tons – the loss
being 128 tons of fish (White & Savina, 1987).
 Cost of Coastal
Degradation

It takes 30 to 50 years for a

50% recovery after a coral
reef is fished with
explosives.
Muro-Ami & Other Destructive Gears
 Cost of Coastal
Degradation
“After the entry of Muro-Ami/Pa-Aling
fishing boats, three to four years would
pass before the fish returns because
even the fish eggs are destroyed.”
(Efren Oyos, 23 July 1999)
 Mangrove Forest Destruction

A major threat is the conversion of mangrove areas

into fishponds which practically reduced mangrove
cover to barely 30% of what it was 80 years ago.
Other reasons for severe reduction of mangrove
resources are road construction and beach resort
development.
Sedimentation
Excessive sediments from upland
and shoreline areas (often due to
cutting of trees) that reach the
water directly smother small
organisms, preventing them from
feeding and breathing normally.
Reefs that are exposed to heavy
sedimentations will be directly
smothered or slowly destroyed
from lack of sunlight penetration.
Marine Pollution
- Sewage and detergents from household
- Fertilizer and other wastes from
agricultural activities
- Pesticides
- Heavy metal discharged from the
various industries
- Oil Spill
OIL SPILL
An oil spill is the release of a
liquid petroleum hydrocarbon into
the environment as a result of
human activity (can be both
intentional and unintentional). The
term often refers to marine oil
spills, where oil is released into the
ocean or coastal waters. Oil can
refer to many different materials,
including crude oil, refined
petroleum products (such as
gasoline or diesel) or by-products,
ship’s bunkers, oily refuse or oil
mixed in waste.
In August 11, 2006 the M/T Solar I sank 13
nautical miles off Guimaras with 2 million bunker
fuel and triggering the country’s worst
environmental disaster. Only 200,000 liters have
been spilled to Guimaras Strait. The oil spill has
so far contaminated 239 kilometers of coastline
and mangroves, affected 16 coastal barangays and
displaced 2,000 fisherfolk in Guimaras. The
1,100-hectare Taclong National Marine Reserve
was also heavily damaged.
Oil Spill Ill Effect:
- Indirect causes of decreased fish production
- Oil slicks prevent free exchange of oxygen from air
and water.
- Oil slicks prevent sunlight from reaching deeper
levels of water where coral thrive, thus limiting food
production of plants (photosynthesis).
- Oil slick covers the gills and scales of fish, making it
hard for them to breathe and swim. This drives the
fishes away or ultimately kills the fishes.
 Global Warming
Global warming caused
by the trapping in the
atmosphere of gases (e.g.,
carbon dioxide, methane,
etc.) produced by massive
fossil-fuel burning
industries has raised
global temperature
resulting to climate
change and rising sea
level.
In the fisheries sector where many coastal
villages depend for livelihood, effects of
global warming could displace thousands of
families. Coral reefs are threatened because
of carbon dioxide concentration resulting to
acidification of seawater. An increase in sea
surface temperature also causes bleaching in
corals, and deleterious effects on reef
accretion and biodiversity (McCathy et al.,
2001).
 Ang kabahurahan, lusayan,
kabakawanan at katubigan ay yaman
ng ating karagatan at dalampasigan.
Ang pagkasira ng isa nito ay
magdudulot rin ng kasiraan sa iba.
Mahalagang alam natin kung ano ang
biyaya nito at mga maaring makasira
nito. Nasa ating mga kamay ang uri ng
pag gamit at maging bahagi ng pag
protekta at pamamahala nito.
COASTAL
RESOURCES
MANAGEMENT
(CRM)

Management

+sustainability
 CRM
Pamamaraan ng pagpaplano,
pagpapatupad at pagsusubaybay sa
pang matagalang gamit ng baybay-
dagat sa pamamagitan ng partisipasyon,
sama-samang pag kilos at
makabuluhang pagpapasiya.
STRATEGIES

> NGO Intervention

> Community-based
> Government Intervention
> Institution Building
TOOLS FOR CRM

- Information, Education, Communication

(IEC) - Establishment of MPA
- Research
- ENFORCEMENT
- Habitat Rehabilitation
- Policy Making
- Livelihood
PROBLEMS IN LAW ENFORCEMENT

- TOO FEW LAW ENFORCERS FOR

TOO LONG A COASTLINE

- LOGISICS OF LAW ENFORCERS

ARE VERY LIMITED

- GENERAL INDIFFERENCE IN COASTAL

COMMUNITIES

- ALLEGED CODDLING OF VIOLATORS

BY INFLUENTIAL PARTIES
 There is a general
sentiment that the
problem maybe solve to
a large degree by
empowering the
people in these coastal
areas and strengthen
fishery law
enforcement.
Maraming
Salamat!