The summary below was provided by the Peace Corps Volunteer and the community administering this project.

Ocean waters are anything but a static environment. Tides ebb and flow, seasons change. This along with human interaction like pollution, over fishing, development of coastal environments and devastating fishing practices such as cyanide and dynamite all have significant effects on ocean life here in the Philippines. It is impossible to predict the full suite of responses of organisms inside and outside Marine Protected Areas (MPAs), or the exact changes within and around MPAs. This, along with the many unknowns about the ever-changing reality of ocean ecosystems, presents a need to monitor these areas regularly. The opportunity to assess the achievements / benefits, and or failures, of the MPAs, within the Municipal waters of this community; the local government along with other stakeholders including, the Interim Marine Protected Area Management Board (IMPAMB), can make management decisions to better govern the progress and economic implication of the MPAs.

The project aim is to train approximately two members of the IMPAMB to assess the plants, invertebrates, habitat attributes and approximate numbers of fish species in a given area. This will be followed up by fisher folk interviews that help management entities understand socio economic implications of these MPAs as well. The assessments will then be given to the IMPAMB to help create a more comprehensive and sustainable marine resource project approach.

Marine Protected Areas can increase the fish yield of a community drastically (average of 188% increase in the Philippines). MPAs help prevent overfishing by providing a spatial refuge from fishing caused mortality. MPA’s give an opportunity to evaluate and understand marine ecosystems, with limited impact from human interaction. MPA’s can also provide enhanced recreation.

This community humbly request the aid of $3,034.34 USD from the Peace Corps Partnership Program, to acquire 2 sets of SCUBA gear, giving management entities the ability to acquire a more comprehensive understanding of the progression of our aquatic resources in our Municipal waters, through regular monitoring of our marine ecosystems and our MPAs.

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