1984

Dr. Alcala and Garry Russ of James Cook University in Australia successfully proved that the spillover of adult fish from the marine protected area had a positive effect on the surrounding fishing communities.

Being able to prove this relationship not only validated the need for marine protected areas from a conservation perspective, but also attached a solid economic value to it.

Unfortunately, the political support in sustaining the nation’s first marine protected area were inconsistent, and local elections marked the end of Sumilon’s protected area.