26
July 2008
was tested through
a series of expert
workshops. The first of
these workshops was the
Marine Key Biodiversity
Areas Definition
Workshop where the
2007 IUCN Red List
was used as a primary
reference. Workshop
participants were
experts in various areas
of marine life, classified
as follows: highly
mobile (elasmobranchs,
fish, marine turtles,
cetaceans); site-attached
(reef fish, marine
invertebrates, giant
clams, groupers); and
the habitat-forming
group (corals, seagrass,
mangroves, seaweeds).
The workshop validated
the list and distribution
of species that trigger
the vulnerability
and irreplaceability
criteria (Table 1),
and determined the
applicability of the
marine KBA process to
the Philippines. Marine
KBAs in the country
were also identified.
Map overlays showing
the distribution of KBA
trigger species were
produced and later
integrated to show the
first-cut version of the
marine KBAs for the
Philippines (Figure 2). A
total of 70 marine KBAs
were identified.
A second workshop was conducted
to develop a set of criteria to refine
the boundaries of the marine KBAs
identified during the first workshop.
It also established priorities for
these KBAs.
Conclusion
The overlap of identified marine
KBAs with existing MPAs in the
Philippines is currently being
analyzed. It is expected that the
integration of the terrestrial and
marine KBAs for the Philippines
will provide an enhanced
decision-making framework for
stakeholders and decision-makers
at local, national, and regional
Figure 2. Initial marine key biodiversity areas identifi ed for the Philippines based on the two expert
workshops conducted by Conservation International in 2008.
Image Source: CI-Philippines.
27
Tropical Coasts
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