DENR, coastal teams recover device to monitor coral reef conditions

Teams from the Department of Environment of Natural Resources (DENR) and the Biodiversity Management Bureau Coastal Resource Department recovered the Autonomous Reef Monitoring Structure (ARMS) a year after it was deployed at the Alegria Sanctuary in Cordova, town.

ARMS is a device built to assess and explain the diversity, distribution, abundance and community structure of the cryptofauna community – the most diverse community of organisms on a coral reef.

Vicente Calizar of the DENR said the device was given by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to BMB for deployment in Cordova, Corregidor Island in Cavite, Snake Island in Palawan, and Camiguin in Misamis Oriental to monitor marine reef habitats.

He said sample species retrieved will be photographed and sent to taxonomist for study.  ARMS yielded specimens of motile and sessile invertebrates from marine species in Cordova town.

Fisherfolks, students and municipal employees observed the activity yesterday. Calizar said residents will know that there is still hope for marine species in their coastal reef.

The Autonomous Reef Monitoring Structure at the bottom of the Alegria Marine Sanctuary in the eastern side of Cordova. (CONTRIBUTED PHOTO/ DENR-7)

Teams from the Biodiversity Management Bureau and DENR-7 retrieved the ARMS to find out the diversity of the reef in the area. (CONTRIBUTED PHOTO/ DENR-7)

Vincent Calizar of DENR-7 heads the retrieval of the device from the reef after it was deployed for almost a year in Alegria marine sanctuary. (CDN PHOTO/ JUNJIE MENDOZA)