Apo Reef

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Apo Reef*
UNESCO World Heritage Site
State Party Philippines
Type (tentative) Natural
Criteria vii, ix, x
Reference 5033
Region† Asia-Pacific
Inscription history
Inscription 2006 (submitted)  (Unknown Session)
* Name as inscribed on World Heritage List.
† Region as classified by UNESCO.

Apo Reef is a series of coral reefs encompassing 34 square kilometers within the waters of Occidental Mindoro in the Philippines. It is the world's second-largest contiguous coral reef system and the largest in the country.[1] The reef and its surrounding waters are administered as a National Park as part of the Apo Reef Natural Park project.

Contents

[edit] Geology

Apo Reef can be found around 33 kilometers west off of the mid-western coast of the Philippine island of Mindoro. Two separate coral reefs make up the atoll-reef system. The two reefs are separated by a 30 meter-deep channel between them.[1] Several environments can be found within the reef's boundaries. Aside from coral reefs, seagrass meadows, beds of macroalgae and mangrove stands are present on and around the reef proper.[2]

[edit] Conservation history

The waters of Apo Reef are protected within a National Park encompassing 274.69 km² of the reef and its surrounding area.[3] Of the total area, 157.92 km² comprises the Apo Reef Natural Park while the remaining 116.77 km² constitute a buffer zone surrounding the national park.[1]

Politically, the reef lies in waters within the jurisdiction of the province of Occidental Mindoro in region IV-B of the Philippines. It is directly administered by the local government of the municipality of Sablayan.[2]

Originally, Apo Reef was first officially declared a "Marine Park" by then-Philippine president Ferdinand Marcos in 1980.[4] This was followed up with the local government of Sablayan declaring the reef a special "Tourism Zone and Marine Reserve" three years later.[5] In 1996, the entire reef was declared a protected natural park by then-president Fidel Ramos.[3]

In 2006, the Protected Areas and Wildlife Bureau of the Philippine Department of Environment and Natural Resources submitted the reef to the UNESCO World Heritage Centre for consideration as a World Heritage Site.[1]

Following a survey by the local chapter of the World Wide Fund for Nature, fishing within the reef was banned by the Philippine government in September 2007.[6][7] The marine park would be opened for tourists to help generate funds for its protection as well as provide an alternative livelihood for hundreds of fishermen in the area.[8]

[edit] See also

[edit] References

  1. ^ a b c d Apo Reef Natural Park. UNESCO World Heritage: Tentative Lists. UNESCO (2006-05-16). Retrieved on 2007-10-08.
  2. ^ a b Apo Reef Marine Reserve. Local government-declared MPAs. Marine Protected Coast, Reef & Management Database (2006-06-07). Retrieved on 2007-10-08.
  3. ^ a b Office of the President of the Republic of the Philippines (1996-09-06). "Presidential Proclamation 868". Press release.
  4. ^ Office of the President of the Republic of the Philippines (1980). "Presidential Proclamation 1801". Press release.
  5. ^ Sangguniang Bayan ng Sablayan, Occidental Mindoro (1983). "Resolution No. 1108". Press release.
  6. ^ "Philippines bans fishing to revive biggest reef", Yahoo! News, Yahoo! Inc., 2007-10-02. Retrieved on 2007-10-08. (English) 
  7. ^ "Philippines bans fishing to revive biggest reef", Reuters News, Reuters Inc., 2007-10-02. Retrieved on 2007-10-08. (English) 
  8. ^ Philippines bans fishing to revive biggest reef

[edit] Bibliography

  • Department of Environment and Natural Resources, Conservation of Priority Protected Areas Project, Apo Reef Natural Park Brochure. Sablayan, Occidental Mindoro; List of Proclaimed Marine Protected Areas; Protected Areas And Wildlife Bureau, 2004.