DENR gets UNDP and GEF funding for 5 marine biodiversity projects

Five marine key biodiversity areas (KBA) – Lanuza Bay, Davao Gulf, Tanon Strait, West Sulu Sea, and Verde Island—will be jointly funded for conservation by the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) and World Bank’s Global Environment Fund (GEF) .

The five marine sites have been identified for protection as these are known to be rich in coastal and marine resources and also qualify on two criteria—irreplaceability and vulnerability.

Irrreplaceability means a site has a “globally significant proportion” of geographically concentrated species. The area should have a source population of a species where the global population’s survival becomes critical.

A site is vulnerable if it is a habitat of at least one globally- threatened species.

There are 209 globally threatened species identified from a total of 123 integrated marine KBAs in the Philipines. Twenty-one of these threatened species belong to corals, mollusks, elasmobranchs, reef fishes, marine turtles, sea and small island specialist birds, marine mammals, and five species of congregatory seabirds.

The work, also in partnership with the Biodiversity Management BureauDepartment of Environment and Natural Resources (BMB-DENR), will be a five-year program.

Five conservation organizations are also participating.

These are the National Fisheries Research and Development Institute for the West Sulu Sea Area, Conservation International-Philippines, Haribon Foundation, World Wildlife Fund-Philippines, and Virginia-based conservation agency RARE-Philippines.

A protection approach using those in Marine Protected Areas (MPA) have been eyed for the five sites.

“Fishing and other development activities in MPAs are restricted and conservation activities there are comprehensive as they cover both the coastal and shoreline ecosystems,” according to DENR. “The establishment of MPAs has been proven effective in enabling depleted fish stocks and helping ecosystems to recover and replenish.”

Lanuza Bay in Surigao del Sur is known for its Campamento Cave, Magkawas waterfalls, and marine sanctuaries.

Aside from illegal fishing, protection in Lanuza Bay is a concern as it has surfing sites and is second to Siargao in surfing popularity in Mindanao. Lanuza has a marine sanctuary which is a fish spawning area. It also has mangrove forests and beaches which make tourists flock, but tourism may pose danger to the site.

Lanuza Bay is also confronted with mining issues being around nickel-rich Surigao del Sur.