The Philippines has substantially advanced marine conservation efforts over the past decade by delineating six of the 11 Important Shark and Ray Areas (ISRAs), an initiative that is part of a broader global effort to chart critical habitats for sharks, rays, and chimaeras.
The mapping of these six ISRAs was the result of 10 years of research by the non-profit Large Marine Vertebrates Research Institute Philippines (LAMAVE), which is dedicated to the conservation of marine megafauna through scientific research, education, and advocacy.
LAMAVE conducts field research, collaborates with local communities and stakeholders, and works with government agencies to promote marine conservation and sustainable management practices in the Philippines.
ISRAs are “discrete, three-dimensional portions of habitat, important for one or more shark species, that are delineated and have the potential to be managed for conservation.” LAMAVE said all ISRAs in the Philippines were identified by the International Union for Conservation of Nature Species Survival Commission (IUCN-SSC) Shark Specialist Group in collaboration with local and regional experts.
The areas were preliminarily identified during a regional workshop in January in Bali, Indonesia, which brought together a team of 33 scientists, including 23 experts from throughout the region, and 208 contributors. Ariana Agustines from LAMAVE and AA Yaptinchay of the Marine Wildlife Watch of the Philippines (MWWP) attended.
Almost 200 preliminary Areas of Interest (AOI) in Asia were considered, of which 122 were approved as ISRA and 45 as AOI after review by an Independent Review Panel.
The new ISRAs in the Philippines, which span multiple provinces, are Binulbulan Island, Bohol, Danjuagan Island, Honda Bay, Monad and Kimud Shoals, Puerco Island, San Teodoro in Batangas, Sogod Bay, Ticao Burias Pass, Tubbataha Reefs, and East Tun Mustapha, a transboundary area between the country and Malaysia.
LAMAVE’s study and conservation efforts have contributed useful data and specialized knowledge to facilitate the pinpointing and mapping of six out of the 11 designated areas in the Philippines.
This encompasses scientific investigations carried out in several locations, namely Northern Palawan, Honda Bay, Tubbataha Reefs Natural Park in Palawan, the Bohol Sea, Sogod Bay in the Visayas, and the Ticao Burias Pass in Southern Luzon.
The research spread across the Philippines has been recognised for showcasing biodiversity hotspots and confirming the presence and habitat use of various species of sharks and rays including Whale Sharks (Rhincodon typus), Pelagic Thresher Sharks (Alopias pelagicus), Whitetip Reef Shark (Triaenodon obesus), Grey Reef Shark (Carcharhinus amblyrhynchos), Oceanic Manta Rays (Mobula birostris), and Reef Manta Rays (Mobula alfredi).
An array of research studies—including landing and in-water surveys, as well as the use of innovative technologies such as Remote Underwater Video Systems (RUVS), Baited Remote Underwater Video Systems (BRUVS), and telemetry—has helped identify areas utilized by these species. This research has revealed details about their habitat use, such as reproductive areas, aggregation sites, feeding locations, and migratory pathways.
The newly identified ISRAs, LAMAVE explained, are an important tool in guiding the development and management of area-based conservation strategies, including Marine Protected Areas (MPAs), and provide the opportunity to push urgency for direct conservation actions that ensure the survival of these threatened, endangered, and protected species.
“While identifying these ISRAs is a crucial first step, there are more areas in the Philippines that are critical for sharks that lack collated data and dedicated research that should be considered in international maps and atlases like this.” said Agustines, LAMAVE program manager for sharks and rays.
While not all the priority areas for the conservation of sharks and rays in the country have been included in this preliminary list, the eleven ISRAs in the Philippines provide biological evidence that can supplement and be integrated with Key Biodiversity Areas (KBAs) and the National Integrated Protected Area System (NIPAS). They can also guide the sustainable management of important marine resources like sharks and rays in the country.
The ISRA Project is an initiative of the IUCN in collaboration with non-profit organisations, government agencies, local stakeholders, and universities that contributed expertise and existing data on sharks and rays from dedicated research and citizen science reports to propose 13 areas in the Philippines, from which 11 were approved as ISRAs.
LAMAVE has stated that this work was made possible only through the support of various partners including local government units, provincial environment management offices, the Palawan Council for Sustainable Development (PCSD), national agencies such as the Department of Agriculture – Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (DA-BFAR) and the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), partner NGOs, and local stakeholders. — Celeste Anna Formoso
