Talim Bay Coastal Resources Management Project

      The  concerted  efforts  of  Talim bay’s  stakeholders  facilitated  the  implementation  of  relevant   activities  necessary  to  maintain  the bay's biodiversity and health.  Despite  the challenges  faced by local fishers such as pollution, over extraction of marine resources,  and the destruction and bleaching of coral reef which adversely affected the availability of  marine resources and therefore  reducing the income of local fishers, community based-ecotourism initiative supported  by the  stakeholders has provided alternative income for the fishers.

      In order to  help sustain the initiative, DLSU- COSCA, together  with the various LSDP-ENVISAGE-CBCRM Lian  stakeholders,  supported  the  March 5 and 6, 2019 checking  and monitoring  of Talim bay reef in  the Marine Protected  Areas  (MPA) of KayReyna  and  Binubusan MPA, respectively.  COSCA's Community Coordinator, Mr. Quenamot shared that the regular Talim bay reef checking  held  last March 2019 was participated by members of the  community,  led  by  organizations of  local fishers like the Lian Fisher folk Association, (LFA) Inc.

      The regular  reef monitoring aims to encourage local community action to protect the remaining pristine reefs,  rehabilitate damaged reefs in Lian, Batangas using ecologically sound and economically sustainable solutions, investigate through  the local scientists the reef ecosystem processes on the two MPAs, and determine the increase in fisheries production. Specifically,  the  regular  reef check monitoring is undertaken  to enable the  community to come up with a  baseline data  that will help strengthen  their monitoring  of  their marine ecosystem.  The stakeholders  include among others the following:  a) Municipal Environment and Natural Resources Office-Local Government Unit (LGU) of Lian, Batangas, b) Barangay Council of Binubusan, Lian, c)  Barangay Council of Lumaniag,  d) Reef Check Philippines, e) DLSU-SHORE, f) Homeowner’s Association of Matuod, Brgy. Binubusan, g)  LFA and,  h) Samahan ng Mandaragat sa Sulok Fisher folk Association.

      Members of the community reef check team attempt to apply lessons they learned from  capacity building activities they attended in their regular Talim bay reef monitoring.  This includes the technique of noting the diverse marine resources and quantifying biodiversity through the roving census methodology enabling local  fishers to identify the fish and invertebrates while segregating   the trash.  The team hopes to learn more techniques and approaches to measure the sensitivity of the reef to climate change, and determine the health or  resiliency of  the Talim bay reef.