1. Introduction - Framing the Problem

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

1.  Introduction - Framing the problem

Philippines as the center of the center of global marine biodiversity

Scientists refer to the 7,107 islands that make up the Philippines as the “center of the center” of global marine biodiversity. Its waters are home to whales, dolphins, 50 species of sea horses and over 2,000 species fish, including the largest fish in the world, the whale shark. Marine resources are also critical to the food security and livelihoods of Filipinos, as fish provide over 50% of their protein and support the livelihoods of millions of fishers and fish-related industries throughout the country. The Philippines is located in the Coral Triangle, a vast region in Southeast Asia made up of 18,500 islands and 647 million hectares of ocean. It is often referred to as the “nursery of the seas” because of the more than 500 species of coral and hundreds of thousands of hectares of sea grass and coastal mangrove forests that shelter and sustain a level of marine diversity unmatched anywhere on the planet.

Species and Habitat under Complex Threats

Today, however the global center of marine biodiversity is under extreme pressure. Over 40% of the reef and mangroves in the region have disappeared in the last 40 years. Near-shore overfishing is a serious threat to these natural resources, and reversing the effects will require a significant change in human behavior. Less than five percent of the Philippines’ coral reef ecosystems are still in pristine health, and in some fishing grounds, biomass is less than 10% of what it was 50 years ago. Most near-shore fishing is conducted by subsistence fishers in coastal communities although illegal intrusions by commercial fishers into municipal waters are cause for concern.

A Campaign to Transform the Context

Developing local approaches to addressing the threat of overfishing is increasingly recognized as vital to long-term economic and environmental sustainability in the region. The vision behind this plan, and the current cohort of 12 campaign developed under the Rare Pride Program in the Philippines, is to facilitate true community buy and ownership of the local Marine Protected Areas building on the tools developed in 20 years of experience in MPA management in the Philippines and combining it with the Rare Pride Methodology for social marketing. Through this strategy the objective is to get the local fishers population as well as the wider community in the Barangays surrounding the MPA to take ownership in and understand the benefit of no-take-areas and support essential management activities such as enforcement and governance of the MPA.

Cohort Theory of change: a strategy for change

In order to eliminate the principle threat of overfishing and destructive fishing the governance and enforcement infrastructures of the no-take-zone (NTZ) at 12 sites in the Philippines will be strengthened via a proven self-assessment and planning tool, the Participatory Coastal Resources Assessment tool (PCRA). Key target audiences (local fishers and gleaners; the local community, the MPA enforcement team and local LGU officials) will be informed of the benefits of the No Take Zone (NTZ), the rules of the sanctuary, and the processes for becoming more engaged in the MPA management committee. Fishers and gleaners will come to believe in MPA as a tool for food security, and will support new reporting structures for arrests and prosecution of intruders. The conservation results will include increased perceived fish catch, increases in fish numbers and species richness, increase in invertebrates, and increase in coral reef health.

1.  Inabanga (Hambongan) site Campaign Theory of Change

Theory of Change formula:

K + A + IC + BR BC TR CR

Theory of Change of Hambongan Marine Sanctuary (MS), Inabanga, Bohol (TA1: Hambongan fishers including Ornamental fish collectors; TA2: Hambongan community, TA3: Fishers from neighboring costal barangays directly or indirectly benefiting the Hambongan Marine Sanctuary

K+ / A+ / IC+ / BR => / BC-> / TR-> / CR /
Hambongan fishers community are aware of the benefits of the Marine Sanctuary (MS) for fisheries and other economic opportunities (fish catch, community cohesiveness and problem solving capacity) and the need to:
1. stop fishing inside the Marine Sanctuary
2. pass intelligence about intrusions
in order to get these benefits
Hambongan women and the community are aware of the benefits of the MS for fisheries and other economic opportunities (fish catch, community cohesiveness and problem solving capacity) and the need to:
1. Have a high participation and good gender balance in MPA management
2. Conduct MS monitoring and
3. Up-scaling the support for the MS expansion.
Neighboring coastal fishers are aware of the benefits of the MS for fisheries and other economic opportunities (fish catch, community cohesiveness and problem solving capacity) and the need to:
1. stop fishing inside the MS
2. pass intelligence about intrusions
in order to get these benefits / Shift in perceptions from negative fish crisis and inability to take actions to a more pro-active, positive and empowered community that believes they can protect their marine resources and in effect secure their fish security and livelihoods by:
1. not fishing inside the Marine Sanctuary
2. passing intelligence about intrusions
Shift in perceptions from negative fish crisis and inability to take actions to a more pro-active, positive and empowered community that manage the MS through:
1. High participation and good gender balance in MPA management
2. Conduct MS monitoring and
3. Up-scaling the support for the MS expansion.
Shift in perceptions from negative fish crisis and inability to take actions to a more pro-active, positive and empowered community that believes they can protect their marine resources and in effect secure their fish security and livelihoods by:
1. not fishing inside the Hambongan MS
2. support their own MPA / The dialogue shifts from a fatalist view of the decline in marine productivity as inevitable, to a call to action for the community to take a pro-active role in taking control of their marine waters. Fishers will talk to each other about:
1. no longer fishing in the Marine Sanctuary
2. passing intelligence about intrusions
The dialogue shifts from a fatalist view of the decline in marine productivity to a call for a more pro-active actions through:
1. High participation and good gender balance in MS management
2. Conduct MS monitoring and
3. Up-scaling the support for the MS expansion.
The dialogue shifts from a fatalist view of the decline in marine productivity as inevitable, to a call to action for the community to take a pro-active role in taking control of their marine waters. Fishers will talk to each other about:
1. no longer fishing in Hambongan MS
2. passing intelligence about intrusions / 1. Strengthening Marine Sanctuary Governance (Planning, Implementation, Evaluation, Organizational Development) so that it engages community stakeholders and asserts leadership over the MS.
2. Strengthening MS Enforcement by recruiting new fish wardens in order to have 8 dedicated fish wardens for the MS, provide additional training and secure funds for enforcement
1. Strengthening MS Governance (Planning, Implementation, Evaluation, Organizational Development) so that it engages community stakeholders and asserts leadership over the MPA.
2. Strengthening of Man Com Monitoring Committee
3. Enactment of Municipal Ordinance expanding the site of the MS from 14 has. to 20 has.
The dialogue shifts from a fatalist view of the decline in marine productivity as inevitable, to a call to action for the community to take a pro-active role in taking control of their marine waters. Fishers will talk to each other about:
1. no longer fishing in the MS
2. passing intelligence about intrusions / 1. Community fishers (and later outsiders) no longer fishing within the Marine Sanctuary no-take-zone (NTZ).
2. Community is vigilant in passing intelligence about intrusions through community watchdogs, reporting process and intelligence network.
1. A well gender balanced representation of Hambongan community are highly involved in managing (active participation in ManCom and TWG, PCRA, Public consultation)
2. monitoring the health of the MS
3. and are willing to support expansion by driving the expansion process
1. Strengthening MS Governance (Planning, Implementation, Evaluation, Organizational Development) so that it engages community stakeholders and asserts leadership over the MS.
2. Strengthening MS Enforcement by involving the fishers directly benefiting the Hambongan MS in passing information about intrusions through community watchdogs / 1. decrease in intrusions from adjacent village community members into the MPA by year 2
2. An increase in arrests and prosecutions of intrusions into the MS in year 1, and subsequently reduced by 80% in year 2
3. 90% decrease in illegal and destructive fishing within 500 meters from MPA boundaries by year 2 and 99% reduction by year 5
Expansion of Hambongan MS from 14.10 hectares to 20 hectares
1. Fishers from neighboring coastal barangays (as outsiders) no longer fishing within the MS no take zone (NTZ).
2. Fishers from neighboring coastal barangays are cooperating about passing intelligence report on intrusions through community watchdogs. / Over two (2) years fish density and species richness will increase from 8% to 15%, and 8% increase in live hard coral cover in the Hambongan Marine Sanctuary.

Theory of Change narrative:

To achieve the conservation result and increase hard coral cover and fish density by 10% ( an increase from 36% to 40% for coral cover & from 77 to 85 fish /500m2 for fish density by June 2012), within the Marine Sanctuary (MS)/Sea Bank of Hambongan, Inabanga, Bohol, the two year campaign will aim to eliminate incidents of illegal fishing inside the MPA done by outsider and insider fishermen by targeting the fishermen and community members of Hambongan as well as the fishers from the neighboring coastal communities that use the same waters to fish. Via a proven self-assessment and planning tool, the Participatory Coastal Resources Assessment tool (PCRA) the campaign will further work with different stakeholders including ornamental fish collectors, women and the whole community to gain their pro-active participation in MPA governance, and enforcement.

Key target audiences (local fishers and gleaners; the local community) as well as the MPA enforcement team and local LGU officials will be informed of the benefits of the No Take Zone (NTZ), the rules of the sanctuary, and the processes for becoming more engaged in the MPA management committee. Fishers and gleaners will come to believe in MPA as a tool for food security, and will support new reporting structures for arrests and prosecution of intruders. The conservation results will include increased perceived fish catch, increases in fish numbers and species richness, increase in invertebrates, and increase in coral reef health.

Statement on Effectiveness of TOC

The Hambongan Pride Campaign will be deemed successful if the increase of hard coral cover and fish density of 10% (an increase from 36% to 40% for coral cover & from 77 to 85 fish /500m2 for fish density) within the Marine Sanctuary (MS)/Sea Bank of Hambongan, Inabanga, Bohol is achieved by June 2012. Further the success will be measured by the collective effort of the Municipal Technical Working Group and the MPA Management Committee working hand in hand so that the long years of experience of the municipality in dealing with coastal resources management become evident and it will become a case study for future campaigns. This should include effective coastal law enforcement, continued biophysical monitoring by the highly capacitated reef checkers team and the support of the community and private sectors to the MPA.

1.  Site summary

Project Name

Project Name /

Campaign for Sustainable Fishing - Inabanga LGU, Hambongan Marine Sanctuary and Inabanga Triangle

Project Data Effective Date / 2011 May 6

Project Scope and Vision

Scope/Site Name / Hambongan Island, Inabanga, Bohol
Scope/Site Description / Hambongan is one of the island barangays of Inabanga, Bohol with a total land area of 5 hectares. It is a sleeper like, plain Sandy Island which is the target site for the Pride Campaign.
The island is composed of 105 households with a population of 634 settlers in which almost 100% rely on fishing as their main source of living. It is approximately 5 kilometers from the mainland Inabanga and can be reached using water transport. It has a white sandy beach front, facing the mainland. During good weather, it can be reached only 20 minutes, but in bad condition, approximately 30 minutes by boat.
The main buildings of the island includes an Elementary School, Basketball Court, Day Care Center, Barangay Health Center, an Electric Generator from the Bohol Electric Cooperative I, a semi-private institution, Barangay Session Hall and 2 Chapels.
Main source of livelihood is fishing, seaweed farming, trading, ornamental fish trade and some professionals.
The households of the island are using blind drainage system for its location can easily subside in the sand.
Vision Statement Text / A community of concerned people that has a vision for sustainable development through responsible resource use and management that leads towards sustainable livelihood and food security for the future generation.

Biodiversity Features

Biodiversity Area / Generally, Inabanga is composed of 50 barangays, 19 of which are coastal and 2 island barangays. The town has a total land area of 131.94 square kilometer (13,194 hectares), making it the largest municipality in northwestern Bohol. Its municipal waters cover an estimated 158.37 square kilometers (15,837 hectares). Coral reef areas within the municipal waters cover almost 17.05 square kilometers (1,705 hectares), the largest part being contributed by the Danajon double barrier reef in the northwest. (MAMTI, 2006). Hambongan island is approximately 0.51 square kilometer (51 hectares) including shoreline flats, but only 5 hectares of dry land that are settled by the islanders.
Biodiversity Background / 1.  Information on marine biodiversity in Inabanga has been identified by some research and studies of different government and non-government institutions in the past. (S. Green et al, 2000)
RESOURCES
a.  Seagrass & Seaweed Beds
Seagrass beds are generally found in the intertidal areas up from 0 – 3 m water depth, around the entire of the mainland and island of Inabanga. A relatively wide area of seagrass is found at the shallows around Magkalingaw and Cuaming island. (MAMTI 2006). Sargasum beds are seasonal and abundant from April to October. Seagrass and seaweed beds harbor a rich macroinvertebrate life. Six species of segrasses are found along the coast going to the northwestern part of Bohol, where Inabanga is part of it. Namely Cymodocea rotundata (Smooth ribbon seagrass), Enhalus acoroides (Tape seagrass), Halophila ovalis (Spoon seagrass), Halodule pinifolia (Needle seagrass), Haloduli universis and Thalassia hemprichii (Sickle seagrass). (S. Green et al, 2000). Inabanga has been reported to have the highest macroinvertebrate species diversity in Bohol with 34 species. The economically important bivalves Septifer and Pinctada are also found in the intertidal of Inabanga.