MPA Visit

[mangrove area]

10.24.09

Last weekend, we (CRM trainees and our instructors) traveled to Samar for our Marine Protected Area field trip. The trip was two days and one night of snorkeling, identifying fish and corals, conducting sea grass assessments, touring mangrove areas, and enjoying the many reefs.

There were several MPAs in the coastal community of Lawaan. The Local Government Unit (LGU) gave us a quick intro to MPA establishment in their waters and then took us out to see them firsthand.

Marine Protected Areas here are set aside to allow for conservation and repopulation of fish, coral, sea grass, and mangrove species. The areas are sometimes managed by the community or through people’s organizations, although the local government provides assistance with funding as needed.

[guard tower at the MPA site - volunteers will take 3-day shifts staying here, watching over the area and reporting any illegal fishing]

A big part of my work here will be monitoring and evaluating existing MPAs and establishing new ones, together with my many counterparts. Ideally, when managed well, these areas can boost fish populations, create spillover into nearby waters, and raise catch levels for local fisherman – which results in more income for the community, which is what it’s all about!

We knew going into the trip that we’d have many opportunities to practice our fish and coral ID, but the experience was better than I’d expected; on the reef, I found myself surrounded by numerous, colorful species of fish - it was an exhilarating experience.



Tori, on the other hand has vowed to never reenter the reef, because she probably did more harm than help, stepping/falling on the live coral and scraping up her legs pretty well in the process. We wouldn’t be surprised if they’re hanging this picture of her at the MPA right now – “keep this woman out.”


The next day we conducted sea grass assessments in another MPA. Healthy sea grass beds are essential for marine ecosystems, because, among other things, they anchor sediment and provide habitat. We learned several species and measured percent cover along a 50m transect. We all caught on to the methods quickly, so it didn’t take long. After the assessments, we checked out the neighboring reef for awhile before getting picked up and taken ashore.

Overall the trip was fun and it was nice to get away from our classroom training for a few days. We’re now looking forward to our swearing-in as official volunteers as the next big event.