11th ICRS Abstract book - Nova Southeastern University

23-5
Measuring Success in Managing Two Marine Protected Areas: Process, Indicators
And Lessons in Palawan Province, Philippines
Giselle PB SAMONTE-TAN 1 , Michael D PIDO* 2 , Nadia P ABESAMIS 3 , Ma Celeste A
PONTILLAS 2 , Shellane NAGUIT 3 , Romeo B TRONO 3
1 Conservation International, Crystal Drive, VA, 2 Palawan State University, Puerto
Princesa City, Philippines, 3 Conservation International-Philippines, Quezon City,
Philippines
In the tropics, few efforts have been directed at evaluating the effectiveness of marine
protected areas (MPAs). Concrete correlations between management actions and desired
conservation outcomes are not adequately demonstrated. This paper describes the
process, indicators and lessons learned in developing monitoring and evaluation (M&E)
programs to assess the effectiveness of management regimes for Tubbataha Reef
National Marine Park (TRNMP) and Coron Island Ancestral Domain (CIAD), both
situated in Palawan Province, Philippines. The TRNMP (designated as a World Heritage
Site in 1993), covers 33,200 hectares of offshore reefs of exceptionally high biodiversity.
The CIAD covers 22,284 hectares of ancestral land and waters, whereby the indigenous
peoples (Tagbanwa) was awarded a Certificate of Ancestral Domain Title in 1998. The
process undertaken to develop the M&E programs included: stakeholder consultations
and consensus on biophysical, socioeconomic and governance indicators; creation of an
M&E team; data collection; information sharing; capacity building of M&E team; and
institutionalization of management structure for implementation. Biophysical indicators
measure how much of the marine resources, biological diversity, individual species and
habitat is protected; socio-economic indicators largely measure the economic status in
terms of household occupational structure; and governance indicators are mostly process
indicators. The lessons learned are: active involvement of the local government units is
crucial for effective MPA management; capacity building for the management staff and
participating agencies is a major bridge for overcoming technical difficulties in
undertaking M&E functions; developing partnerships between the local government and
the local stakeholders helps in accessing relevant information; and a multi-disciplinary
approach, utilizing relevant mix of indicators, provides a more complete assessment for
measuring the success of MPAs. This study is an output of Conservation International-
Philippines’ project on “Development of Management M&E Programs for Two Protected
Areas in Palawan” with funding from the United States National Fish and Wildlife
Foundation.
23-6
Using Ichthyoplankton Distribution in Selecting Sites For An Mpa Network in The
Sulu Sea, Philippines
Pacifico II BELDIA 1 , Wilfredo CAMPOS* 1 , Cesar VILLANOY 2 , Maritess CANTO 2 ,
Porfirio ALINO 2
1 Oceanbio Laboratory - Division of Biological Sciences, University of the Philippines in
the Visayas, Miag-ao, Iloilo, Philippines, 2 Marine Science Institute, University of the
Philippines Diliman, Quezon City, Philippines
This investigation was conducted to provide data and information needed to establish an
ecologically functional network of MPAs in the Sulu Sea Basin, by making use of data on
fish larval (ontogenetic) distribution and composition, as well as dispersal modeling in
identifying areas with potentially high recruitment (sink) and or areas with high potential
as egg and larval sources. Highest egg and larval concentrations were observed in the
immediate vicinity of the atolls and reefs along Cagayan Ridge and in embayments along
the western border of Sulu Sea (east coast of Palawan) during Summer, suggesting that
these areas are major sources of eggs and larvae within the Basin at this time of the year.
During the transition to the NE Monsoon (October), highest egg concentrations were
observed in the same areas, but larvae were most abundant along a north-south mid-basin
transect from Cuyo Is. to Cagayan Ridge. Large-scale circulation patterns show that the
atolls and reefs of Cagayan Ridge may be a major source of recruits to coastal habitats
along the east coast of Palawan during the Summer. This link may be disrupted during
the transition to the NE Monsoon as the prevailing strong northeasterly current isolates
Cagayan Ridge from Western Sulu Sea. During this season, the Cuyo Group of Islands
appears to be a major source of propagules to the western half of Sulu Sea, while
potential exchange within atolls and reefs within Cagayan Ridge is also at its maximum.
The ontogenetic distributions of several larval groups, together with dispersal modeling,
are further examined to verify the above scenarios.
Oral Mini-Symposium 23: Reef Management
23-7
Multiple Direct And Indirect Effects Of A Marine Reserve On Caribbean Fish And Benthic
Communities
Alastair HARBORNE* 1 , Peter MUMBY 1 , Carrie KAPPEL 2,3 , Craig DAHLGREN 4 , Fiorenza
MICHELI 5 , Katherine HOLMES 6 , James SANCHIRICO 7 , Kenneth BROAD 8 , Ian ELLIOTT 9 , Daniel
BRUMBAUGH 6
1 School of Biosciences, University of Exeter, Exeter, United Kingdom, 2 National Center for Ecological
Analysis and Synthesis, University of California Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA, 3 Hopkins Marine
Station, Stanford University, Pacific Grove, 4 Perry Institute for Marine Science, Jupiter, FL, 5 Hopkins
Marine Station, Stanford University, Pacific Grove, CA, 6 Center for Biodiversity and Conservation,
American Museum of Natural History, New York, NY, 7 Department of Environmental Science and
Policy, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, 8 Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric
Science, Division of Marine Affairs and Policy, University of Miami, Miami, FL, 9 School of
Biosciences, University of Exeter, Exeter
Data documenting many of the effects of no-take reserves are surprisingly scarce, and trophic cascades
are particularly poorly understood. Here we examine both the direct and indirect effects of the Exuma
Cays Land and Sea Park (The Bahamas) by sampling benthic and fish communities inside and outside
the reserve, with surveys stratified by habitat (‘Montastraea reef’ and ‘gorgonian plain’). To
distinguish reserve effects from natural variation, we compared changes inside and outside the reserve
with those seen at equivalent spatial scales in other reef systems in the Bahamian archipelago that lack
reserves. Reserve-level differences in benthic or fish communities not documented in other reef
systems were categorised as ‘robust’ effects, and were limited to Montastraea reefs. The reserve
supported an average of ≈15% more fish species per site compared to outside the reserve. Increases in
fish biomass and differences in community structure inside the reserve were limited to large-bodied
groupers. This increased population of piscivorous large grouper has the potential to reduce the key
process of macroalgal grazing by parrotfish prey. However, because large-bodied parrotfishes escape
the risk of predation from large piscivores, the negative predation effect was overwhelmed by the
positive effects of reduced fishing pressure, resulting in a net doubling of grazing. Increased grazing by
parrotfishes in the reserve has lowered macroalgal cover, and caused previously undocumented
changes in benthic community structure compared to sites outside the reserve. Furthermore, reduced
macroalgal cover has doubled the density of coral recruits. Finally, a higher biomass of urchin
predators within the park has reduced populations of the ecologically-important Diadema antillarum
compared to outside the park. Caribbean marine reserves are a key conservation tool with a range of
beneficial effects, but the trophic cascade between urchins and their predators demonstrates the
complexities of restoring key processes in disturbed ecosystems.
23-8
Reef Fish Spawning Aggregations Are Vulnerable: The Role Of SCRFA In Promoting
Their Conservation And Management
Patrick COLIN 1 , Michael DOMEIER 2 , Janet GIBSON 3 , Brian LUCKHURST 4 , Martin
RUSSELL 5 , Yvonne SADOVY 6 , Terry DONALDSON* 7
1 Coral Reef Research Foundation, Koror, Palau, 2 Marine Conservation Science Institute,
Falbrook, CA, 3 Wildlife Conservation Society, Belize City, Belize, 4 GCFI, Umbria, Italy,
5 Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority, Townsville, Australia, 6 University of Hong Kong,
Hong Kong, China, People's Republic of, 7 Marine Laboratory, University of Guam, Mangilao,
Guam
The Society for the Conservation of Reef Fish Aggregations (SCRFA) was formed to raise
awareness of the vulnerability of reef fish spawning aggregations (FSAs) to exploitation and
other negative impacts. SCRFA works towards the protection and management of FSAs while
promoting a greater understanding of their form and function. SCRFA maintains a data base of
known FSAs and reef fish spawning aggregation sites (FSAS); most are not managed yet, while
others are afforded some form of protection from the creation and maintenance of marine
protected areas, time and season closures, sales bans during spawning seasons, are reductions in
effort. These management tools are usually employed singly or, to a lesser extent, in
combination. SCRFA has initiated international calls for action at ITMEMS 2 and 3, at the 4 th
IUCN World Fisheries Congress, and elsewhere to promote conservation awareness and to
stimulate the design and implementation of management efforts to achieve conservation goals.
SCRFA utilizes two principal methods of surveying FSAs and FSAS towards meeting these
goals. Fisher interview surveys gather local knowledge of spawning aggregation location, use,
and history. Field surveys, following methods described in the SCRFA Methods Manual, are
conducted to verify fisher survey data, characterize FSAS, and describe the current status of
FSAs. SCRFA has conducted surveys in Fiji, Indonesia, Micronesia, Palau, Papua New
Guinea, Sabah (east Malaysia), and the Solomon Islands. The outcomes of these surveys,
coupled with analyses of data in the SCRFA data base, may be used to assist fisheries and
conservation agencies and entities in protecting and managing FSAs and FSAS, as well as
promote future research into FSA dynamics. These outcomes will be described in greater
detail.
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