‘Let storm-damaged coral reefs in Bantayan recover’

When super typhoon Yolanda hit Bantayan, the storm caused underwater damage as well.

Coral reefs were smashed by intense waves, causing fish catch to decline, according to a study by professor emeritus Angel Alcala and Abner Bucol who did a rapid assesment in the area after the November storm.

“There is a need to provide alternative livelihood programs to reduce fishing pressure which delays the recovery of reefs,” said Alcala, the multi-awarded biologist from Silliman University who heads the Angelo King Center for Research and Envrionmental Management.

The findings were discussed last Friday as part of a series of forums “Are we ready for the ‘new normal” in the Eduardo Aboitiz Development Studies Center in Cebu City.

The study covered three islets in Bantayan – Ocoy, Sillon and Hilantagaan – in 2012 before the storm.  Researchers returned for a second assessment in February this year.

While many big corals were found intact “The reefs sustained physical damage, especially the branching corals and other similar fragile forms,” Alcala said.

The impact was dramatic.

Even within the marine sanctuaries, where fishing is not allowed, there was a 22 to 60 percent decline of fish biomass or the total volume of fish.

“These corals may be able to recover and grow in five to ten years,  if left alone. But if these areas are disturbed by fishing activities, it can’t,” Alcala said.

His recommendation to let the reefs  recover from fishing activities poses a quandary for Yolanda survivors whose livelihood depends mainly on fishing and even humanitarian groups who want to help them recover.

Because of the findings of the study, the Ramon Aboitiz Foundation Inc. is holding off its plan to donate bancas to replace destroyed fishing boats in Bantayan, said RAFI executive director Evelyn Nacario.

She cited similar findings by another foundation that rushed to help coastal villages in Eastern Visayas and discovered that a surplus of bancas being given to some communities actually caused overfishing in an area.

Nacario said it was important to study the needs of Bantayan first, before making an intervention that could actually cause more harm.

In one of his slides, Alcala showed a photo of four small fishes (about 250 grams) inside a  bucket.  He said this was the only catch after three hours of  of fishing using a gill net in Hilantagaan islet.

He recommended that reefs should be allowed to recover and be able to increase the fish population to reach a biomass of 100 tons per square kilometer.

He discouraged the use of 3-ply nets which trap even juveniles fish and larvae.

He also discouraged catching parrot fish (locally known as molmol) and surgeon fish because these feed on fleshy algae that help in the recovery of coral reefs.
Finding a way to shift fisherfolk to alternative livelihood is a big challenge.

“I believe this is a gargantuan task for local government units and national government agencies,” said Andres Bojos, regional director of the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) 7.

“Since most of these are municipal waters, the responsibility mostly falls on the local government units. Hopefully, the communities and fisherfolk can understand,” he said.

He was a panel reactor to Alcala’s presentation of the study “Effects of Typhoon Yolanda on the Coral Reefs and Fisheries of the Bantayan Group of Islands”.