Of Fishes, Coral Reefs, and…Giant Jackstones?

An Aqua Sci Reaction Paper

By Red Gabriel Convocar

I am quite amazed that we have some wonderful aquatic life in Aklan’s waters. From its fishes to its
corals, I am surprised on how rich and diverse the marine ecosystem of the area. The video showed
various species of fish and other marine animals yet I seem to notice that the corals are dull in color and
the waters are a bit murkier compared to its counterparts in other parts of the world.

Either way, with this blessing from nature, it is almost secondary that this would become a source of
pride and responsibility to the Akeanons and even to the whole Panay residents. But with the threat of
pollution and other man-made activities, the urgency to protect and preserve these aquatic ecosystems
is heightened.

I am happy that the Aklan government is making important moves to preserve its environment. This also
was possible with the cooperation from the local townsfolk.

I really like the artificial coral reefs that were placed in the seabed. I think that was one of the highlights
of the projects in which it has greatly helped the marine ecosystem. They might not look appealing for
they look like giant jackstones but you could really see that the man-made reefs are working effectively
when fish and other life start living in it. Clips of improvement in the reefs were also shown over a three-
year period implying that the marine plants animals are continuously adapting to it. What’s also good is
that divers are constantly maintaining the reefs by scraping off unwanted materials.

Although the video itself may lack in color and photography compared to National Geographic and
Discovery Channel and the video and sound quality is a not so good, it still carries a clear message to
those who see it – that there are still beautiful marine ecosystems in our area and we need to do
something to help take care of it.

Overall, the video made proud of being a Filipino and a student of aquatic sciences. I am proud to be a
Filipino in such a way that the government and its constituents are working together to identify
problems that need to be solved and to achieve certain goals for the good of all. This is also a great way
of boasting our own natural resources and creating an environmental-friendly image to the world.

As a student of aquatic sciences, I have learned more about Aklan and its environment, more about
marine life, and especially more ways on how to help the aquatic system. The film showing activity in
class itself is a good start for us, students, to become knowledge seekers and nature preservers and
protectors at the same time.