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HISTORY
The marine reserve was founded by the Coastal
Resource Management Project in San Miguel Island (COREMAP-SMI), which is a
multi-disciplinary approach to developoing and managing habitats and
resources through the establishment of marine fishery reserves in the
context of a community-participated co-managed scheme. Collaborators on
the project includes:, Tabaco City Council, Sagurong Barangay Council,
Bicol University, Haribon Foundation, PRRM, UP-MSI, BFAR Region V, US
Peace Corps, and other local government sectors. Research began in 1995
and the reserve was officially established in 1998.
CONSERVATION IN ACTION
The reserve is an important stop the local
community of barangay Sagurong has taken to ensure both an economic future
in fishing, and the conservation of the local envrionmental treasures.
Much of Bicol's reefs, and consequently the fishing resources, have been
decimated due to illegal and damaging fishing practices such as dynamite
and cyanide. The reseve is an area where fish and the reef are protected
from such damaging techniques, and fish populations are allowed to
prosper. The reserve is also the site of ongoing research by the BUTC
research team to monitor the fish populations and fisheries productivity
of San Miguel Island.
AWARDS AND PUBLICATION
The SMI-MFR was awarded as the 2nd
Best-Managed Reefs in the Philippines in 2001 by PhilReefs, a consortium
of conservationist organizations working for the protection,
rehabilitation and management of coral reefs. The reserve was also
featured in the Sunday edition of the Philippines Daily Enquirer, August
22, 2004, highligting local efforts of the Sagurong community in the
foundation and maintenance of the reserve.
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