Saving the Verde Island passage marine ecosystem
Conservation focus:
Marine biodiversity hotspot
Scientific name:
N/a
Scientific classification:
N/a
IUCN status:
EDGE status:
N/a
N/a (ecosystem)
Threatened evolutionary history:
N/a
Conservation priority by EDGE rank / ecosystem
Why it matters
Species living in marine and other aquatic habitats are generally less well protected than terrestrial species, so we were impressed by the intention of Haribon Foundation to protect the marine biodiversity hotspot of the Verde Island Passage, a busy shipping route located between the Philippine islands of Luzon and Mindoro. Their approach – forming people's organizations within Verde Island Passage and awareness-raising on fisheries laws – seemed promising, so we offered a grant covering their most urgent needs at the time.
Project fast facts
Focal species' population trend
N/a
Local conservation attention
Moderate
Range / Project area
Ecological role
Key habitat for a multitude of marine species
Threats
Habitat and species loss through overfishing, pollution, disturbance and climate warming
Grant
First awarded:
$ 3,500
24 November 2006
N/a (ecosystem)
Programme owner
Haribon Foundation
Quezon City, Philippines
Programme contact
Anya Santos, Haribon Foundation
Project location
Philippines
Puerto Galera, Oriental Mindoro, Philippines
Addressing the need: Project goals
Protection of the marine biodiversity hotspot of the Verde Island Passage, a busy shipping route located between the Philippine islands of Luzon and Mindoro, through the formation and strengthening of People's Organizations within Verde Island Passage; identifying and building 15 Verde Island Local Community Organizers; and awareness-raising on fisheries laws.
This grant to Haribon Foundation was awarded to fund the following activities:
- A participatory coastal resource assessment (PCRA) for appraising current situations and recognizing perceptions, followed by the formation of a Core Group (4 members for each barangay) and groundwork for the establishment of People's organizations. The core group was identified by the project community organizer (CO) and consisted of 4 members per barangay with a relatively higher level of environmental awareness. The project CO organized and facilitated meetings.
- Strategic planning on fisheries conservation and a reform workshop, including a fisheries laws forum to orient fisherfolks of their rights, resort owners of their responsibility for conservation and the Batangas local groups of their duty regarding fisheries. This activity was to facilitate conflict resolution on the Verde Island Passage, as well as a workshop on planning the advancement of fisheries management as the long-term goal.
- Lobbying for fisheries conservation and reform through identification of champions and lobbying for fisheries conservation within the municipality of Batangas through the drafting and enactment of a municipal ordinance.
Conservation actions
Community organization, awareness-building and fisheries conservation planning are expected to improve the awareness and hence, approach of local communities to the sensitive ecosystems in the Verde island passage.
