Scuba-diving hotspot Verde Island Passage in the Philippines has been described as the “centre of the centre” of marine biodiversity – and now it has been named a “Hope Spot” by international ocean conservation charity Mission Blue, run by oceanographer Dr Sylvia Earle. The designation is expected to pave the way for additional official protection.
The VIP, as the passage is known, separates the islands of Luzon and Mindoro and connects the South China Sea to the East Philippine Sea. Covering 1.14 million hectares of coral reef, mangrove and seagrass habitats, it is said to provide livelihoods to millions of people through fishing and ecotourism.
Despite conservation efforts the VIP is facing environmental degradation and threats, however, including a recent oil-spill, as reported on Divernet. It is a major commercial shipping channel and there are many industries along the shore of Batangas Bay, including petroleum refineries and chemical plants.
Hope Spots, scientifically identified as critical to ocean health, are championed by local conservationists supported by Mission Blue. The new designation is said to acknowledge both the rich biodiversity and the cultural and economic significance of the passage and to represent a critical step in advancing its claims to become a National Integrated Protected Area System of the Philippines and to be declared a Particularly Sensitive Sea Area by the International Maritime Organisation.
Champions of the Hope Spot
VIP’s new status was championed by the California Academy of Sciences (CAS) and its research partners. “This Hope Spot designation is a testament to years of collaborative efforts from our Hope for Reefs team and our Filipino colleagues,” said Terrence Gosliner, CAS senior curator of invertebrate zoology, who has conducted marine research in the Philippines for more than 30 years.
“It also recognises how special the Verde Island Passage is. Home to more species of marine life than any other part of the oceans, it is truly an extraordinary place that must be preserved for future generations.”
Gosliner and his colleague Prof Wilfredo Licuanan of De La Salle University in Manila have been conducting research into advancing coral rearing and spawning techniques that could be deployed for restoration work in areas lacking natural resilience, and collaborating with the ABS-CBN Foundation to train community volunteers to monitor their reefs.
The Philippine Bureau of Fisheries & Aquatic Resources (BFAR) is said to be interested in the approach. interested in their methodology.
“It’s lo-tech but accurate in the data we’re collecting,” said Gosliner. “If BFAR adopts it, it has the potential to go national. In order for us to achieve our 30×30 goals, resilient reefs need to be identified.” It is hoped to eventually double the number of communities along the VIP employing monitoring techniques to assess the health of local reefs.
“Coral reefs are the rainforests of the sea,” said Sylvia Earle, “Let us be inspired by the resilience of these corals and let us be motivated by the urgent need to act.” Mission Blue has now identified 156 Hope Spots, covering 57, 578sq km of ocean.
Also on Divernet: Dive trip temptations: Philippines & Malaysia, Sea Shepherd targets Med ‘Hope Spot’ poachers, Egypt to Extend Red Sea Reef Protection, Ready to be a citizen-activist diver?
