TropicalCoast 4th new indd

45

Tropical Coasts

Box 3. Quantifying change in habitat through remote sensing/GIS in 

Balabac Strait  (Abella, 2007).

Changes in the extent and location of coastal habitats in Balabac were 

determined through satellite remote sensing and GIS. Image mosaics for 

1988-1989 and 1999 were classifi ed into live coral, dead coral, rubble, sand, 

seagrass, and mangrove.  Results showed that corals and mangroves had 

undergone signifi cant degradation and about 18 percent of the entire area 

deteriorated.

 

Figure 4. Habitat map based on image classifi cation of Landsat 5 

TM images dated 22 April 1989 and 25 September 1988. 

Figure 5. Habitat map based on image classifi cation of Landsat   

                    7 ETM+ images dated 9 September 1999 and 

                    16 September 1999. 

Ong, P.S., L.E. Afuang and R.G. Roselle-

Ambal (eds.). 2002. Philippine 

Biodiversity Conservation Priorities: 

A Second Iteration of the National 

Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan. 

Department of Environment and 

Natural Resources-Protected Areas 

and Wildlife Bureau, Conservation 

International-Philippines, Biodiversity 

Conservation Program - University of 

the Philippines Center for Integrative 

and Development Studies (UP CIDS) 

and Foundation for the Philippine 

Environment (FPE), Quezon City, 

Philippines

Philippine National Coral Reef Committee. 

2004. “Sustaining Philippine Reefs: 

Harmonizing Our Eff orts through a 

National Coral Reef Strategy” (Draft ver. 

1). UNEP-GEF South China Sea Project, 

Marine Science Institute, University 

of the Philippines, Quezon City, 

Philippines. Ix + 42 pp.

Quibilan, M. C. P.M. Alino, S. G. Vergara 

and R. B. Trono. ”Scaling-up Eff orts for 

Fisheries Management and Marine 

Biodiversity Conservation through 

Networks of Marine Protected Areas 

in Marine Corridors within the Sulu-

Sulawesi Seascape.” Poster presented 

at the 11th  ICRS Symposium in Ft. 

Lauderdale, Florida, USA, July 2008. 

Conservation International-Philippines.

Tubbataha Management Offi

  ce. 2008. 

Tubbataha Reef Natural Park Business 

Plan (Draft). Tubbataha Management 

Offi

  ce, Palawan, Philippines.

Villanoy, C., M. Magno-Canto and 

O. Cabrera. 2007. “Investigating 

Biodiversity Corridors in the Sulu 

Sea: Distribution and Dispersal 

of Fish Larvae.” Progress Report 

2007: Oceanography Component. 

Conservation International-Philippines, 

OceanBio Laboratory, and University 

of the Philippines Visayas, Foundation, 

Inc.

 White, A.T. and Y.D. Arquiza. 1999. Tales 

from Tubbataha Second Edition. 

Sulu Fund for Marine Conservation 

Foundation, Inc. and The Bookmark, 

Inc. 

White, A.T., Alino, P.M., and Meneses, A.T. 

2006. “Creating and Managing Marine 

Protected Areas in the Philippines.” 

Fisheries Improved for Sustainable 

Harvest Project, Coastal Conservation 

and Education Foundation, Inc. 

and University of the Philippine 

Marine Science Institute, Cebu City, 

Philippines. 83 p.

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46

July 2008

“Turtle rap,” isn’t something you 

hear every day. RAP actually stands 

for the Regional Action Plan for the 

Conservation of Marine Turtles and 

Their Habitats in the Sulu-Sulawesi 

Seascape. RAP represents a framework 

within which research, conservation, 

management and awareness activities 

can take place at local levels, and which 

are complementary and consistent in 

their delivery. The Regional Action Plan 

was put together under the auspices of 

Conservation International-Philippines, 

following various consultations at the 

local and regional levels, and based 

on the very latest in scientifi c and 

technical knowledge. Not the usual long 

and bulky report, it can be used as a 

roadmap of sorts for management and 

conservation agencies to work together 

for the conservation of this amazing 

creature.

Turtles in the Sulu-Sulawesi Seascape 

(SSS) are endangered, threatened 

with extinction. Their eggs are 

collected mercilessly. They are often 

accidentally trapped in fi shing nets. 

Their underwater turf is often disturbed 

and their dinner fare ruined at the same 

time. Yet all too often they are relied on 

for benefi ts which would astound the 

uninitiated: Tourism at just one location, 

for instance, the Sabah Turtle Islands 

Park reaps in revenue in excess of one 

million dollars a year. The Philippine 

Islands have the same potential. 

Other resorts rely on turtles underwater 

to keep patrons happy – Tubbataha, 

Sipadan, Lankayan, Manado, etc. Turtles 

are also valued for the roles they play in 

our traditions, and for the unforgettable 

memories they provide. 

But in the face of countless and varied 

pressures, how does one protect an 

animal so graceful and yet still continue 

with business ‘as usual’? How do we 

promote fi shing, yet keep turtles away 

from the nets? How do we make sure 

the reefs and seagrass beds continue 

to provide sustenance to turtles, and 

to mankind at the same time? How do 

we make sure everyone plays using the 

same playbook, learns from the same 

teachings, and acts from the same 

principles? With great diffi

  culty! 

But there are things that can be 

done. Technology exists which can 

allow both sides of the equation. For 

instance, we know turtles drown when 

caught in trawl fi shing nets. But we 

also know that a simple metal grid 

can allow the exclusion of the turtles 

and continue the capture of fi sh and 

shrimp. The technology exists. Over the 

years, awareness materials have been 

developed. What has not been around, 

until now, is a cohesive framework in 

which to implement these tools. 

With the marine turtle RAP, each 

country is now in a position to 

complement other actions in  the region. 

Understandably, the very nature of the 

work means there will always be limited 

resources to do what is needed, and so 

a prioritization of sorts was needed. RAP 

provides this. A suite of options was also 

needed, because not everyone needs 

to do everything, and not all the time. 

RAP also sings this tune. RAP addresses 

reduction of direct and indirect causes 

of marine turtle mortality; and addresses 

Turtles ‘Rap’ 

in the Sulu- 

Sulawesi

By    Nicolas Pilcher

1

        Marine Research Foundation

        Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, Malaysia

1      

The author can be emailed at: 

      [e-mail].

© Nicolas Pilcher 

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