A Fishery in Transition: Impact of a Community Marine Reserve on a Coastal Fishery in Northern Mindanao, Philippines

Abstract

This report provides information on the environmental and economic impact of a marine protected area in Danao Bay, in the Philippines. It looks at how the biodiversity in the reserve has improved thanks to the protection it has been given. It also investigates how much of this biodiversity „spills out‟ into surrounding waters and whether this has benefited local fishermen, in terms of improved catches. The research involved a combination of underwater biodiversity surveys, community interviews and secondary research on historical trends in fishery production in the area. The report finds that the establishment of the MPA has had a significant positive effect on the overall ecological condition of both the protected reserve area and of some of the reefs outside it. There is also strong evidence to suggest that the sanctuary had helped protect spawning fish and so helped boost catches. This impact has not, however, been large enough to create a truly sustainable and economically viable fishery area. The author therefore recommends that other policy instruments and fishery management strategies are needed in the bay to reduce overall fishing levels. She concludes that if these are put in place, the reserve could act as the centrepiece of a sustainable fisheries area- a model for other regions where fishing is in crisis.