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July 2008
governments the role of managing
fisheries resources within 15 km
from the coast, and the Department
of Agriculture’s (DA) Bureau of
Fisheries and Aquatic Resources
(BFAR) the role of managing fisheries
resources in territorial waters
beyond the 15-km boundary. In
addition to DA Administrative
Orders, local governments also pass
local laws regulating fishing gears,
harvestable species, fishing areas,
and imposing fees and penalties.
These local laws tend to be based
upon model ordinances or developed
in response to adverse experiences.
They frequently require further
consideration of implementation
issues, in terms of stakeholder
consensus, preventive strategies,
resources required vis-à-vis resources
generated, and violations proven in
judicial proceedings (Luna, 2007).
Illegal activities reported within the
three marine biodiversity corridors
include the use of dynamite, cyanide,
fine-mesh nets, and other forms of
destructive fishing; capture and trade
of endangered and protected marine
species including corals, sea turtles,
dugong, whale sharks, manta rays,
dolphins and whales; and operation
of commercial-scale fishing boats
within 15 km of the shore, legally
reserved for small-scale fishers, or
within protected areas.
Some of the specific activities and
issues in the four marine biodiversity
corridors are outlined below.
a. Verde Island Passage
An enforcement crusade by local
governments and Bantay Dagat
volunteers (“bantay dagat” is a
Filipino term to denote “sea watch”)
in the Verde Island Passage supported
by the World Wide Fund for Nature
(WWF-Philippines) from 2000 to 2003
and by Conservation International-
Philippines from 2006 to 2008 may
have reduced the incidence of
destructive fishing and commercial
fishing intrusion in municipal waters
(Table 1).
The Bantay Dagat initiative began
in the municipalities of Mabini and
Tingloy in 2000 and expanded to
San Luis and Calatagan in 2001.
The Bantay Dagat Network was
established in June 2002 and was
joined by Nasugbu and Balayan
municipalities by the end of the
year. The network included 174
Bantay Dagat volunteers in the six
municipalities by 2003, supported by
a lawyer to help in the filing of cases.
Fish catch monitoring suggested an
increase in catch per unit effort of
longlines with multiple hooks (kaskas,
September 1999-2000 vs. September
2001-2002; and hayhay, September
1999-February 2000 vs. September
2001-February 2002) over the first
two years of the crusade (Enderez,
2004).
The Sulu-Sulawesi Seascape project
supported information campaigns,
strengthened capabilities of Bantay
Dagat volunteers, and helped to
expand the Bantay Dagat Network
to other municipalities. The project
also conceptualized a draft Verde
Island Passage Marine Biodiversity
Conservation Corridor Enforcement
Strategy in 2007.
Table 1. Number of apprehensions for coastal-related violations in Batangas (from
Gutierrez (2007) for 2000-2003 data, Trono and Gutierrez (2007) for 2006-
2007 data, and from PEMSEA survey for Bantay Dagat members in 2008).
Year
Municipalities
in Batangas
Province
Number
of Bantay
Dagat
members
Apprehensions
Average/year
Violators
Cases
fi led
Violators
Cases
fi led
2000-2003
Mabini, Tingloy,
Calatagan,
Nasugbu,
Balayan, and
San Luis
174 in 2003
625
fi shers
70
130
18
April 2006-
February
2007
Mabini, Tingloy,
Calatagan,
Nasugbu,
Balayan, and
Lobo
131 in 2008
79
fi shers;
9 divers
14
88
14
To date, capacity-building activities
included deputation trainings
in coordination with BFAR, additional
paralegal trainings, Bantay Dagat
team building and Advance Fishery
Law Enforcement Training, which
covered map reading, GPS use, water
survival techniques, and proper
search and boarding procedures.
An additional 59 volunteers were
deputized as Fish Wardens by the
BFAR, while 36 existing Bantay Dagat
volunteers from nine (9) network
member organizations attended the
Advance Fishery Law Enforcement
Training.
The Verde Passage
Enforcement Strategy
The enforcement of coastal and
marine environmental laws requires:
(a) support of key stakeholders; (b) the
development and implementation of
information campaigns; (c) enhanced
organizational capacities for local
initiatives; and (d) increased patrolling
and enforcement eff orts.
The Verde Passage Enforcement
Strategy was designed to support the
institutionalization of the Bantay Dagat
group, considered the participatory
approach to coastal law enforcement
in the Philippines. The fi rst step
undertaken for its institutionalization