The Importance of Conservation: History and Current Coastal

Management Approaches in the Philippines

Module 1, Unit 3, Session 31

Objectives

• Examine the evolution of the marine and fishery programs in the Philippines, including the progression from community-based Coastal Resource Management (CRM) to Integrated Coastal Management (ICM).

• Analyze current stage of MPA management and situate respective MPA’s within the bigger picture of ICM.

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Discussion outline

1. Evolution and timeline of coastal resource use2. ICM adaptive management

– CRM planning process– ICM planning process

3. ICM sustainability as next step– Coastal resource management interventions– Collaborative/co-management partnerships

4. MPA planning process– General framework for MPA establishment and

management– Conceptual framework for community-based MPAs

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Natural resource management, whether coastal or otherwise, is essentially the management of human activities.

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Evolution of Philippine coastal management

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Open Access

• Up until1960s• Resources considered unlimited in supply, not

requiring management.• Demand does not surpass supply.

http://www.cruising-png.com/21ATOLL.HTM

Open Access• 1960s – 1970s• Robust expansion and

development in fisheries and aquaculture.

• Coastal resource development promoted by national government

• In 1950s, demand surpassed supply.

• Advent of the tragedy of the commons (Garrett Hardin) 7

http://www.vietnamalbum.com/index.render/photo/photo/id/3376/Many-fishing-boats-a....html/

http://www.cbc.ca/world/story/2010/06/03/pakistan-cyclone-phet.html

8http://vaughts.blogspot.com/2008/08/tragedy-of-commons.html

Tragedy of the Commons

• The Tragedy of the Commons theory is as old as Aristotle, who said:

“That which is common to the greatest number has the least care bestowed upon it.”

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Regulated Access

• 1970s – 1980s• National thrust was largely to

promote increased efficiency in fishing effort rather than to introduce/enhance management measures.

• Led to excessive fishing pressure, overfishing, stock depletion, and destruction of freshwater and marine habitats.

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Need for Regulation

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• Three other major obstacles also contributed to the mismanagement of resources:– Manila imperialism: conflicting policies such

as PD 1152 (1977) and PD 704 (1975).– The spatial barrier brought about by the

country’s archipelagic nature made it difficult for a centralized form of governance.

– Jurisdictional conflicts created confusion and hindered the implementation of key resource protection laws (BFAR transfer from MNR to MAF).

Community-based resource management

• 1970s -1980s • First case studies: Sumilon Island (1974)

and Apo Island (1985).• Illustrated the value of empowering

communities to manage their coastal areas and resources through their own initiative and with legal and institutional support of barangay and municipality.

• Formula for reversal of fisheries decline: protect 25% of the reef, harvest the rest with non-destructive fishing methods. (Rashid 1992) 12

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The Advent of Integrated Coastal Management

• 1990s onwards • Key milestones in political landscape

(decentralization), legislation, and development approaches.

• New CRM focused projects built on the rich experiences of small community-based CRM projects such as San Salvador Island (Zambales), Mabini (Batangas), Apo Island (Negros Oriental), Balicasag (Bohol), and Pamilacan (Bohol) – and scaled these up.

• Coastal management projects expanded their scope both vertically (management options) and horizontally (stakeholder partnerships).

The Advent of Integrated Coastal Management

• Big donor-assisted projects in partnership with DENR and/or DA-BFAR provided the foundation for ICM in the Philippines: – Central Visayas Regional Project (WB, 1986-

1992)– Fishery Sector Program (ADB, 1990-1997)– Coastal Resource Management Project (USAID,

1996-2004)– Fisheries Resource Management Project (ADB &

Japan, 1998-2005)

• Laying out lessons learned and best practices based on vast experiences.14

Recap of Philippine CRM timeline

• CRM in Philippines has emerged from 30 years of experiences in more than 100 coastal municipalities, covering about one-sixth of the 18,000 km shoreline (CRMP, 2003).

• Current challenge is sustainability of ICM endeavors through effective and wider spread eco-governance.

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DENR, DA-BFAR, and DILG (2001). Philippine coastal guidebook series (8 volumes).

CRM and ICM Planning Processes

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Processes of adaptive management

• Learning by doing.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adaptive_management

Importance of ICM

• Where competition for coastal resources exist, careful design of ICM can ensure continued benefits from some natural areas.

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Major features of integrated approach• Multi-sectoral, multi-agency, and multi-

disciplinary• Creates opportunities to link planning

and implementation• Involves those affected by

management schemes in all phases of the strategy

• Promotes sharing of experiences among resource managers

• Directs research at questions of direct relevance to resource management

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CRM Philippine Framework

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• Ultimately a guide to the planning and implementation of ICM for LGUs

DENR, DA-BFAR, and DILG (2001). Philippine coastal guidebook series (8 volumes).

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ICM collaborative partnerships and management strategies

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Co-management/Collaborative Partnerships• NGO-Community/PO Partnership

One of the most common institutional partnership schemes in CB-CRM. Coral reef management through an MPA or marine sanctuary is made possible by the organizing efforts of an NGO and local residents, but subsequently and usually draw the support of local government.

• NGO-PO-LGU CollaborationSimilar to the NGO-PO partnership, but with LGU assistance playing a more distinct role. The more involved an LGU is, the greater the possibility of self-sustainability.

Cont.. Collaborative Partnerships

• Academe-PO/Community PartnershipThe academe takes an active role in CRM, other than the provision of technical assistance. Akin to the role of an NGO, academes can also initiate organizing efforts with a local community to plan and implement an MPA.

• Co-management PartnershipsOften large provincial or nationwide collaborative projects that focus on making coastal resource management a basic service in LGU’s.

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Coastal management options

• MPA establishment and management• Legal arrangements and institutional

development• Fisheries management• Habitat management• Coastal zoning• Shoreline management• Coastal tourism management• Enterprise and livelihood management• Waste management

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Legal arrangements and institutional developmentsObjectives:• To improve mechanisms and arrangements for

local governments on coastal management.• To enhance community participation in coastal

management planning, legislation, implementation, monitoring and evaluation.

• To strengthen environmental and fishery law enforcement.

• To strengthen the network and linkage with other LGUs, national government, international, and local organizations, and community or people’s organizations.

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Legal arrangements and institutional developments

Strategies• Legislation of comprehensive CRM

ordinance• Formation and strengthening of PO’s• Strengthening of FARMCs, Bantay dagat,

and fish wardens• Monitoring, control, and surveillance• Training and staff development on CRM• IEC• Fund sourcing 26

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Fisheries Management

Objectives• To increase productivity of fishery resources in

order to achieve food security.• To regulate access to municipal waters and reserve

its resources for the benefits of the municipal fishers.

• To regulate the exploitation of fisheries resources and limit fishing efforts to sustainable levels.

• To ensure the rational and sustainable development and management of the fishery resources.

• To develop monitoring, control, and surveillance mechanisms and strengthen law enforcement units.

• To ensure equity in fisheries exploitation.27

Fisheries ManagementStrategies• Designation of closed season in harvesting

commercially and ecologically important fish and invertebrates during their spawning season and/or juvenile stage.

• Designation of closed areas for identified migration routes of commercially and ecologically important fish.

• Registration, licensing, and permitting of fishers, fishing gear and fishing boats.

• Sustainable management of coastal aquaculture.• Regulation on the deployment, use of and access to

artificial reefs.• Regulation of the construction and operation of fish

corrals, other fishing gear activities that occupy space in coastal waters. 28

Habitat ManagementObjectives• To protect, conserve, and rehabilitate existing

habitats.• To improve productivity and biodiversity of corals,

seagrasses, mangroves, and estuaries.

Strategies• Establishment of marine protected areas.• Management of mangroves under the community-

based forest management framework.• Protection of seagrass beds by regulating fishing

activities that are destructive to habitat.• Enforcement of environmental and fisheries laws.

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Coastal ZoningObjectives• To eliminate use conflict by delineating zones

for specific uses or activities in the municipal waters.

• To regulate activities in the different zones.

Strategies• Delineation of municipal waters’ boundaries• Designation of zones for specific uses (tourism,

aquaculture, rehabilitation, etc.)• Regulation of fishing activities and use of

fishing gear in every zone. 30

Shoreline ManagementObjectives• To protect the shoreline from further degradation

due to destructive activities.• To maintain access of the people to foreshore

area.• To minimize erosion and loss of beach to natural

and human induced forces.

Strategies• Regulation of sand and coral mining• Setting up and maintenance of coastal setbacks

for all development.• Climate change mitigation.

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Coastal Tourism ManagementObjectives• To provide economic incentives for local communities

by optimizing the tourism potential of certain areas.• To develop local capability in ecotourism projects that

contribute to better coastal management and community development.

• To develop incentives for resource conservation.

Strategies• Regulation on number of tourism facilities and activities• Ecotourism product development• Visitors education and management, including waste

disposal• Users fees and appropriate business development.

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Enterprise and livelihood managementObjectives• To develop alternative and supplement

employment to fishers in order to lessen their fishing effort and pressure to the sea.

• To diversify income source of the fishers to lessen dependence on fishing.

Strategies• Identification and implementation of

environment-friendly and economically-feasible projects.

• Identification of beneficiaries. 33

Waste Management

Objectives• To eliminate or minimize the potential

adverse impact of waste to both human and environmental health.

Strategies• Solid waste disposal program

(segregation, recycling, and composting)• Sewage waste treatment, especially for

tourism and industrial facilities• Water quality monitoring.

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The MPA as one coastal management option

Rationale behind an MPA

• MPA establishment and management replicates the ICM adaptive management process.

• Local experience and research has proven that MPA’s are the most successful coastal management option to date.

• Avoid the tragedy of the commons by designating community property rights for sustainable management of marine resources.

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General Framework for MPA Establishment and Management

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A CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK FORCOMMUNITY-BASED MARINE SANCTUARIES

IN THE PHILIPPINES

A CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK FORCOMMUNITY-BASED MARINE SANCTUARIES

IN THE PHILIPPINES

Steps inthe Process

Time(months)

Actions Taken Intermediate andFinal Outcomes

1. Community Entry, Preparation and Appraisal

3-6 Larger community consultation for initial identification of issues

Community site selected Community affairs officer

assigned full-time to the community

Baseline surveys conducted Selected PCRA activities

conducted Informational meetings

(formal and informal) and discussions concerning the project and goals

Preliminary public education activities carried out

Community core group identified

Stakeholder analysis conducted and identification of PCRA participants

CRM issues in the community identified

Socioeconomic, cultural and environmental context understood by project team and members of core group

Widespread community understanding of project objectives and approach

Information of resource status gathered

2. Planning including:

• Public Education

• Capacity Building

• Community Consultation

• Ordinance

Formulation

12-24 Cross-visits with successful marine sanctuary sites

Public education on coral reef ecology, marine sanctuary concept, environmental laws and enforcement

Training on community monitoring and mapping of reef

Selected early actions on issues of concern to the community implemented

Training on financial management and accounting

Study tour, training or development of potential supplemental livelihood opportunities such as tourism

Community core group training on coastal management

Community ordinance contents drafted

Community consultation meetings and discussions (formal and informal) conducted

Community ordinance revised and final version completed

Community understanding of human impacts on coastal resources, environmental laws and sanctuary concept

Map of the coral reef developed by the community to be used as basis of marine sanctuary site selection

Community awareness of local coral reef conditions and capacity for on-going monitoring established

Widespread community support for the project objectives and marine sanctuary concept

Community capacity for participatory planning, implementation and fund management strengthened

Community capacity to address CRM problems with simple solutions strengthened

Widespread participation of stakeholders in planning

Widespread/majority community consensus on marine sanctuary location, size, allowable and prohibited activities, sanctions and management arrangements

Steps inthe Process

Time(months)

Actions Taken Intermediate andFinal Outcomes

Steps inthe Process

Time(months)

Actions Taken Intermediate andFinal Outcomes

3. Community Ordinance Approval

1-12 Vote of approval for the sanctuary at a community meeting(s) and by barangay resolution

Approval and signatures on the municipal ordinance by the municipal council

Review of municipal ordinance by the province

Formal opening ceremony conducted with government representatives in attendance

Funding mechanisms for implementation (donations, fees, fines, grants, endowments, got. Allocations, etc.) identified and planned

Formal acceptance of the marine sanctuary by the community and local government

Sound legal basis for management and enforcement

Financial resources for implementation determined

Steps inthe Process

Time(months)

Actions Taken Intermediate andFinal Outcomes

4. Implementa-tion and Adjustment

(forever)

Boundary markers installed and maintained

Information signboards installed

Management plan developed

Management committee meeting

Reef and fisheries monitoring conducted

Enforcement actions occurring

Sanctions taken against violators

Public education ongoing Implementation activities

budgeted Implementation funds

received, spent and accounted for

Coordination and networking with external technical, financial or organizational support institutions occurring

Program monitoring evaluation

High compliance with rules governing the marine sanctuary

Effective management of the marine sanctuary occurring

Improved coral cover inside the marine sanctuary

Increased fish abundance and diversity in the sanctuary

Increased catch of reef-related target fish species adjacent to the sanctuary

Other quality-of-life improvements/benefits for the community attained

Sufficient resources (financial or in-kind) for the implementation allocated, obtained and utilized

Access to outside support systems maintained

Management measures adjusted as needed

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Source: Crawford, B., M. Balgos, C. Pagdilao. 2000. Community-based sanctuaries in the Philippines: A Report on Focus Group Discussions. Coastal Management Report #2224. PCAMRD Book Series No. 30. CRC. pp. 26-27.

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Parting question..

What stage of the MPA establishment and management process is your site MPA currently in?

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