From prior secondary research, Apo Island has been documented to be a good example of linking tourism and conservation due to the following reasons:
-In 1985 all island families decided to support the sanctuary and make it legally binding through the local municipality;
-The Marine Management Committee (MMC) was set up by fishermen to formulate regulations against destructive fishing;
-The local “marine guard” (bantay dagat) was established by the community;
-Sustainable fishing became an integral part of the island culture;
-It encouraged the Philippine government to establish a national marine sanctuary program that now has about 400 sanctuaries nationwide;
-At the Ninth International Coral Reef Symposium, it was shown that 75% of the total revenue from user fees and donations was retained for the development and maintenance of the protected area, subject to disbursement guidelines set by PAMB (formerly known as MMC). The remaining 25% was allocated to the National Integrated Protected Area Fund;
-There is high evidence of a spillover effect of fisheries in the reserve, as studied by Russ, Alcala and Maypa in 2003.
There are also socio-economic benefits provided by the sanctuary:
-The catch-per-unit-effort tripled by the mid-1990s;
-Local schools have been developed in partnership with Siliman University;
-Tourist revenue provides families with income to finance children’s education;
-Income in support of tourism activities amounted to 7,234,366 Philippine Peso, of which 20% went to Apo residents in terms of boat rentals, food, accommodation and sale of souvenirs.
Researchers from Silliman University and CCEF (Coastal Conservation Education Foundation) do a quadrant study of the corals of Apo Islands Marine Protected Area (MPA). Photo Credit: Greenpeace
January 2017 - Sustainable Tourism
SEVENSEAS - 57