SULU-SULAWESI SEASCAPE PROJECT
Conservation International’s Undertaking
Conservation International (CI) – Philippines is embarking on a three-year marine conservation intiative,
the Sulu-Sulawesi Seascape Project that will build a strong foundation for a long-term conservation
program to address varied and immediate threats to the biological diversity of the Sulu and Sulawesi
Seas spanning territories covered by three independent nations -- Malaysia, Indonesia and the
Philippines.
Location
The Sulu-Sulawesi Seascape (Map 1) occupies approximately 900,000 km 2 area that includes the Sulu
and Sulawesi Seas, located between Indonesia, Malaysia and the Philippines (De Vantier et al. 2004).
This seascape is one of the world’s most diverse and productive marine ecosystems — coral reefs,
seagrass meadows and mangrove forest – which in turn, support a considerable number and species of
sea turtles, marine mammals, elasmobranches, marine fishes, invertebrates, seaweeds and seagrasses
and other less known but equally important marine flora and fauna.
Center of Highest Concentration of Marine Biodiversity
The Sulu-Sulawesi Seascape is situated at the heart of the Coral Triangle, considered to be the center
of highest concentration of marine biodiversity in the world, stretching from the Philippines at its apex
extending to the waters of the Indonesia Archipelago and Papua New Guinea. The high biodiversity
supported by the Seascape and the numerous threats affecting its resources prompted several
initiatives to organize strategic management approaches. One of these is the Philippine Biodiversity
Conservation Priorities: A Second Iteration of the National Biodiversity Conservation Strategy Action
Plan otherwise known as the Philippine Biodiversity Conservation Priority-setting Program (PBCPP). This
program identified priority conservation corridors in the Philippines, to include nine marine
conservation corridors, eight of which are within the Sulu-Sulawesi Seas.
At the moment, the program will cover four Marine Biodiversity Conservation Corridors (MBCCs),
namely: (a) the Cagayan Ridge Corridor in the middle of the Sulu Sea, in the southeastern waters of
Palawan; (b) the Balabac Strait Corridor in the southern tip of Palawan; (c) the Verde Passage Corridor
in between Batangas and the Mindoro Provinces; and (d) the Tri-national Sea Turtle Corridor, which
covers 7,848,057 hectares from Borneo in Malaysia, to the Turtle Island in the Philippines and East
Kalimantan in Indonesia.
Projected Outcomes
The Sulu-Sulawesi Seascape Project foresees a 7-year implementation timeframe that by 2012,
Conservation International (CI) and an alliance of partners are implementing a sustainable seascape
strategy designed to conserve the full range of biodiversity in the Sulu-Sulawesi Seascape covering an
area of approximately 94,000,000 hectares.
A two-pronged approach will be used to build a strong foundation for a long-term conservation program
complemented by necessary actions to address immediate threats to biodiversity. Long-term actions
will include capacity and institution building as well as policy reviews and recommendations.
Immediate actions will include enforcement, strengthening of marine protected areas and
communication strategies. For the first three years, projected outcomes are:
Outcome 1 - By 2008, CI and its alliance will improve management effectiveness of existing marine
protected areas (MPAs) by providing enforcement support in selected municipalities of the Verde
Passage MBCC. In addition, new MPAs will be established and an appropriate MPA network will be
designed. Local stakeholders will be empowered to manage MPAs, MPA networks and enforce policies.
By 2012, an ecologically functional network of MPAs in the VP-MBCC will be formally established and
sustainable mechanisms to support it will be operational.
Outcome 2 - By 2007, the bio-physical, socio-economic, and institutional basis for additional MPAs and
network of MPAs along the Cagayan Ridge MBCC will be determined and necessary enforcement support
will be provided. By 2008, the Tubbataha Reefs National Marine Park (TRNMP) will be expanded to
include Jessie Beazley and the business plan for the TRNMP will be updated to include appropriate
values of fines/penalties imposed for various types of violations. By 2012, the TRNMP management will
generate over 60% of operational funds collected from user and violation fees.
Outcome 3 - By 2007, academic, local government and local organizations in
Palawan will collaborate to implement an integrated conservation and development strategy for the
Municipality of Balabac and in the process identify, create and/or rectify MPAs and MPA networks in
the Balabac Strait MBCC. Discussions will be initiated with relevant authorities in Sabah, Malaysia
regarding the feasibility of a transboundary management regime. By 2008, stakeholders will be made
aware of the ecological and economic relevance of MPAs and MPA networks and their role in marine
conservation and management. By 2012, stakeholders will be aware of the functions and benefits of
protection and empowered to implement and enforce protection-related legislation as well as design,
modify and adjust these to meet the changing needs of marine ecosystem conservation.
Outcome 4 - By 2008, existing MPAs will be strengthened, a sea turtle MPA network will be designed
and a formal management regime will be established within the Tri-national Sea Turtle Marine
Biodiversity Conservation Corridor (7,848,057 ha).
Outcome 5 - By 2007, a Seascape-wide information, education, communication and capacity
enhancement strategy will be developed. By 2008, MPA species and corridor-related policy issues in
Verde, Cagayan Ridge, Balabac and the Tri-national Sea Turtle MBCCs will be identified and
recommendations will be formulated for policy development on fisheries, oil and gas and ecotourism.
By 2012, stakeholders will be well informed of the biophysical and socio-institutional relevance of MPAs
and MPA networks in the seascape and will be able to maintain ecosystem integrity at the community
level and operationalize enforcement measures. Oil and gas corporations will be participating in
Seascape wide conservation campaigns through their corporate social responsibility (CSR) portfolios.
The Four Priority Marine Biodiversity Conservation Corridors
The Cagayan Ridge Corridor
The Cagayan Ridge Corridor, is located in the middle of Sulu Sea, east-southeast of Palawan. The most
famous reef along this ridge is the Tubbataha Reef National Marine Park (TRNMP). Declared as a World
Heritage Site, this 33,200-hectare park boasts of diverse species of corals, reef fishes, algae and
seagrasses complemented by aggregations of large megafauna like sharks and cetaceans. The islets on
the two large atolls are known sea turtle nesting sites and an important feeding and breeding ground
for seabirds.
Other known diving destinations along the ridge are the Jessie Beazley, Basterra, Bancauan and
Bancoran and inhabited islands like Cawili, Arena, Calusa and Cagayancillo.
Priority activities in the corridor will focus on establishing and managing MPAs, strengthening of
enforcement capabilities and a corridor-wide information and awareness campaign.
The Balabac Strait Corridor
The Balabac Strait Corridor is located in the Southern tip of Palawan. It links the Sulu Sea with the
South China Sea and serves as the passageway of marine lifeforms from plankton to fishes, sea turtles
and marine mammals (dolphins & whales), propagules, nutrients and even large ocean vessels (i.e., oil
tankers & cargo ships) as well as pollutants. It is a known haven for about 24 true mangrove species
(out of the 34 mangrove species reported in the Philippines).
The Strait reportedly hosts five life stages of the sea turtles in relation to their habitats:
mating/nesting, hatching, pelagic, developmental, sexually mature, and feeding stages. As such
Balabac qualifies as one of the important sea turtle habitats in the Philippines as well as in the Indian
Ocean and South East Asia region. Program activities in the area will focus on strengthening of
enforcement capabilities, establishment/management of MPAs and an intensive conservation
awareness and education campaign.
The Verde Passage Corridor
The Verde Passage Corridor is located between Batangas and the two Mindoro Provinces. This corridor
is one of the country’s richest fishing grounds and top tourist destination. Threatened species such as
sea turtles (hawksbill, olive ridley and green turtles), humphead wrasses, giant groupers, whale sharks,
and giant clams thrive in the area. The presence of port and energy facilities (oil, gas, and geothermal)
plus unsustainable fishing methods (including illegal and destructive fishing) pose grave threats to the
marine resources of the area.
Focal activities in the corridor involve development of sustainable management interventions and the
establishment of a marine protected areas (MPAs) network, ichthyoplankton and oceanographic
surveys, marine mammals, seabirds and sea turtle assessments, plus development of a sustainable
mechanisms for the aquarium trade through certification of collecting sites as well as fishers engaged
in the business.
The Tri-national Sea-turtle Corridor
The Tri-national Sea Turtle conservation harbors the largest aggregation of nesting green turtles
(Chelonia mydas) and significant nesting populations of hawksbills (Eretmochelys imbricata) in the
ASEAN region. In addition, extensive and highly productive mangrove forests, seagrass beds and coral
reefs characterize the corridor. The area is increasingly subjected to serious anthropogenic threats
such as destructive fishing, overfishing, siltation and poorly planned coastal development.
Essential activities in the corridor include MPA establishment and management including MPA network;
species conservation; establishment of partnerships and alliances; policy work; awareness and capacity
building; and sustainable financing. Project outcomes intends to demonstrate the links between human
welfare development and biodiversity conservation.