Apo Reef

UNESCO World Heritage Site
Apo Reef
Name as inscribed on the World Heritage List

View from the Apo Reef Lighthouse on Apo Island
Location Mindoro Strait
Type (tentative) Natural
Criteria vii, ix, x
Reference 5033
UNESCO region Asia-Pacific
Inscription history
Inscription 2006 (submitted) (Unknown Session)
Location in the Philippines

Apo Reef is a coral reef system in the Philippines situated on the western waters of Occidental Mindoro province in the Mindoro Strait. Encompassing 34 km2 (13 sq mi), 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 protected areas in the country administered as the Apo Reef Natural Park (ARNP). It is one of the best known and most popular dive sites in the country.[2]

Geography

Apo Reef can be found around 15 nautical miles (28 km; 17 mi) west of the nearest coast of the Philippine island of Mindoro. It is separated from main island by the Apo East Pass of the Mindoro Strait.[3] Politically, the reef lies within the jurisdiction of the Province of Occidental Mindoro in Region IV-B of the Philippines and more accurately of the Municipality of Sablayan. Tourism activities are administered by local government of Sablayan and the local office of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR).[4]

Reef system

Apo Reef is roughly a triangular coral atoll formation approximately 26 km (16 mi) from the north to the south tip, and 20 km (12 mi) from east to west. It is separated by two lagoon systems, the north and south lagoons which are bounded by narrow reef platforms. It is a 34 square kilometres (13 sq mi) almost triangular northern and southern atoll-like reefs separated by a deep channel that is open to the west. The channel runs east to west from 1.8 to 30 metres (5 ft 11 in to 98 ft 5 in) deep with a fine white sand bottom, numerous mounds and patches of branching corals under the deep blue water.

The north lagoon is an enclosed triangular coral reef platform partly exposed during low tide. It is relatively shallow with depths of about 2–10 metres (6 ft 7 in–32 ft 10 in). While the south lagoon is an inverted triangular coral platform enclosed on two sides and is about 30 metres (98 ft) in depth. Likewise, reef limestone and coralline sand on the east and southeastern sides dominantly underlie the area.

Islands

The main geographical feature of Apo Reef is submerged, but three islands mark it on the surface: the Apo Island, Apo Menor (locally known as Binangaan) and Cayos del Bajo ("Keys of the bank", locally known as Tinangkapan).[5] The islands are uninhabited. Since the declaration of “no-take-zone” policy at Apo Reef Natural Park in 2007, only protected area personnel and members of the Task Force MARLEN (Marine and Apo Reef Law Enforcement for Nature), who are task to implement protection and conservation work at the park, stays in the protected area on weekly shifts.

The reef system of Apo Reef in Occidental Mindoro.

Apo Island

The largest is Apo Island at 22 hectares (54 acres) with mangroves and beach vegetation. It has a lagoon at the central part of the island and most of its western side is composed of karstic rock formation while its eastern side is a white beach.[6] The reef surrounding the island extends to 0.80 kilometres (1⁄2 mi) in places. Outside the lagoonal mangroves in the eastern and southern sides of Apo Island, the soil is sandy-to-sandy loam that is less in silt and clay particles. On the other hand, the lagoonal mangroves have a sandy loam to clay loam soil, underlain by decomposed plant residues or coarse materials.[5]

Apo Island is separated from Apo Reef by a narrow, deep channel. The island is about 23 nautical miles (43 km; 26 mi) from Mindoro and about 20 nautical miles (37 km; 23 mi) from Nanga and Tara Islands, the nearest of the islands off Busuanga Island on the western side of the Mindoro Strait. The Apo Reef Light, situated on the northeast part of the island, warns ship about the location of this navigational hazard.[3]

The island is powered by solar energy to energize its limited visitors and rangers for lighting purposes and potable water pumping system.[7]

The largest island in the Apo Reef and has a lighthouse, white beach, lagoon, mangroves, and karstic rock formations. Taken by Schadow1 Expeditions during its mapping expedition of Sablayan and Apo Reef of Occidental Mindoro.

Apo Menor Islet

Apo Menor is located near the western end of Apo Reef, about 2.4 kilometres (1.5 mi) east of Apo Island.[3] It is a rocky limestone island with relatively little vegetation.[5]

The Apo Menor Island is the second largest island in the Apo Reef and is primarily made up of rocks. Taken by Schadow1 Expeditions during its mapping expedition of Sablayan and Apo Reef of Occidental Mindoro.

Cayos del Bajo

Cayos del Bajo are flat coralline rock formations with no vegetation on the northern lagoon near the eastern edge of the reef. At low tide, many small rocks are dry on the reef, particularly along its north side.[3][5]

Conservation history

The Apo Reef is a protected area of the Philippines classified as a Natural park encompassing 274.69 square kilometres (106.06 sq mi).[8] Of the total area, 157.92 square kilometres (60.97 sq mi) comprises the Apo Reef Natural Park while the remaining 116.77 square kilometres (45.09 sq mi) constitute a buffer zone surrounding the protected area.[1][9]

Prior to its declaration as a protected area, Apo Reef was first officially declared a "Marine Park" by then Philippine president Ferdinand Marcos in 1980.[10] This was followed with the local government of Sablayan declaring the reef a special "Tourism Zone and Marine Reserve" three years later.[11] In 1996, the entire reef was declared a protected natural park by then-president Fidel Ramos.[8]

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.[12][13] The marine park opened for tourists to help generate funds for its protection as well as provide an alternative livelihood for hundreds of fishermen in the area.[14]

Dive Sites

There are nineteen known dive sites around the Apo Reef which includes Aladin, Apo 29, Bajora Cinco, Barracuda Point, Corde Point, Ego Wall 1, Ego Wall 2, Galeon Point, Jack's Point, Mabuti, Manta Point, Shark Airport, Shark Encounter, Shark Ridge, Shipwreck Point, Sir Daniel Point, Southeast Corner, South Corner, and Prado Point.[15]

The Ego Wall is a deep trench system that separates the northern ridge of Apo Island from the large flat shallow coral reef system.

Marine biodiversity

See also

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 "Apo Reef Natural Park". UNESCO World Heritage: Tentative Lists. UNESCO. 2006-05-16. Archived from the original on 11 October 2007. Retrieved 2007-10-08.
  2. ↑ Hutchinson, Gretchen and Ventura, Edgar M. (1987). "Philippine Dive Versions", pg. 74. Philippine Dive Versions, Makati.
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 "United States Coast Pilot Philippine Islands".
  4. ↑ (2014-03-19). "How To Get There". Apo Reef Natural Park Official Website. Retrieved on 2014-09-25.
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 (2014-02-14). "Topography and Soil". Apo Reef Natural Park Official Website. Retrieved on 2014-09-25.
  6. ↑ "The Captivating Apo Reef". Schadow1 Expeditions. 17 February 2014. Retrieved 26 January 2015.
  7. ↑ "The Captivating Apo Reef". Schadow1 Expeditions. 17 February 2014. Retrieved 26 January 2015.
  8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 "Presidential Proclamation 868" (Press release). Office of the President of the Republic of the Philippines. 1996-09-06.
  9. ↑ "Protected Areas in Region 4B - MIMAROPA". Biodiversity Management Bureau. Retrieved on 2014-09-25.
  10. ↑ "Presidential Proclamation 1801" (Press release). Office of the President of the Republic of the Philippines. 1980.
  11. ↑ "Resolution No. 1108" (Press release). Sangguniang Bayan ng Sablayan, Occidental Mindoro. 1983.
  12. ↑ "Philippines bans fishing to revive biggest reef". Yahoo! News (Yahoo! Inc.). 2007-10-02. Archived from the original on October 6, 2007. Retrieved 2007-10-08.
  13. ↑ "Philippines bans fishing to revive biggest reef". Reuters News (Reuters Inc.). 2007-10-02. Retrieved 2007-10-08.
  14. ↑ Philippines bans fishing to revive biggest reef
  15. ↑ "Apo Reef Travel Guide". Schadow1 Expeditions. 20 February 2014. Retrieved 26 January 2015.

Bibliography

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Apo Reef.