Status of MPAs and projects in BBBRMCI area

Anilao Green Mussel Culture project

The green mussel harvest took place last November 2011 despite the relative small sizes of the green mussels (average shell length of only 4.85 cm and average shell thickness of 1.54 cm) as the association members were worried about the stocks being harvested by other parties who are not members of the association.

	Length (cm)	Thickness (cm)	Weight (g)
Range:	3cm - 6.25cm	1cm - 1.9cm	2g - 19g
AVERAGE:	4.85	1.54	10.05

Estimated seagrass cover in the five patches located and measured in Barotac Nuevo

			Coordinates			Approximate
						Area (m2)
BNSg1		10°54'54.3"N; 122°48'26.5"E				477.71
BNSg2		10°54'48.4"N; 122°48'26.8"E				7264.66
BNSg3		10°54'42.9"N; 122°48'24.1"E				480.14
BNSg4		10°54'16.9"N; 122°48'28.6"E				941.61
BNSg5		10°54'10.9"N; 122°48'28.7"E				4560.38
			Total			13,724.49

Barotac Nuevo Pasil Sea Grass Sanctuary

The seagrass patches of Barotac Nuevo are combinations of 3 species (Halophila ovalis, Halophila spinulosa and Halodule pinifolia) of seagrass. These patches are obviously stressed as evidenced by the exposed runners of the plants. There must be some kind of bottom-dragged fishing gear operating in the area scraping the upper layer of the sandy substrate causing the seagrass runners to be exposed.

This must have caused the patchiness in the seagrass cover in Barotac Nuevo. If this impact continues, total eradication of seagrasses in the Barotac Nuevo area is very possible in the near future as the remaining patches are already unstable. Gathering of sea cucumber (Holuthuria scabra) was also observed in this area without any regulation as the resource seemed to be free for all. Other organisms observed in the sandy seagrass patches include sea stars (Protoreaster nodosus), bay-ad (Placuna ephippium), small sand dollars and burrowing sea anemone. Fish community in the seagrass beds consists mainly of very small and very few wrasses and goatfishes ranging from 2 cm to 5 cm. Not a single commercially important fish species was observed in the five patches of seagrasses in Barotac Nuevo.

Anilao Coral Garden

The recruited massive corals on the concrete surfaces of the AR units observed during the last monitoring seemed to have grown and already starting to spread. These coral spats seemed to be demonstrating a level of sturdiness to survive the impact of heavy siltation in the area and may be a good indicator that corals, especially massive types, can really thrive in such an area.

Hibotkan Rock Sanctuary

Eleven categories (based on Survey Manual for Tropical Marine Resources by English et al., 1994.) were recorded resulting to a 52 percent live coral cover. Of the live corals, the area was dominated by massive corals (CM) with 23 % cover while branching Acropora (ACB) has the least representatives covering less than 1 % of the total transect length covered. This area is notable for high percentage of tabulate Acropora (ACT) covering around 16 % of the total transect length. Dead corals with algae (DCA) and coral rubbles (R) accounted for a total of around 34% which can be considered high for a protected area like Hibotkan Rock. This may indicate high level of both man-made and natural impacts creating undue stress to the coral reef. As for the abiotic (non-living) component, rocks (RCK) dominate. These rocks are broken pieces from the rock islet itself.