Estimating the Recreational

Benefits of Coral Restoration in

Northwestern, Philippines

MYRA D. SORIANO
MAED- SCI. TECH.

PROF. CHRISTIAN PAUL P. DE LA CRUZ, M.S., Ph.D. cand.

Assistant Professor III, College of Fisheries
• Tondol White Sand Beach (TWSB) is a popular destination for tourists in the Northwest,
Philippines and the jump-off point for boat trips to the Reef. It includes Magsaysay Reef, which is a
shallow reef found 200m offshore.

RATIONAL • Magsaysay Reef in Anda, Pangasinan Province, a 14-ha Marine

Protected Area (MPA) is known officially in Anda Municipal Order

E
No. 01-2001 as Magsaysay Fish Sanctuary.
 RATIONALE (cont’d)
• Previous studies have shown that the Northwestern
Philippines has a potential to boost coral reef’s rate of
recovery but, restoration is relatively costly most especially for
under-developed and developing countries where local funding
sources are difficult to identify.

• The restoration technique used is known as mass coral larval

enhancement or “larval reseeding”, it involves coral spawn
being collected from healthy reef sites and allowing it to settle
on damaged sites, it also addresses many of the issues that
come with conventional active restoration methods, such as
asexual reproduction.
 RESEARCH
FRAMEWORK
ESTIMATING THE RECREATIONAL BENEFITS OF CORAL RESTORATION=
PROTECTIVE EFFORT IMPROVEMENT AND STIMULATE THE RATE OF
CORAL REEF RESTORATION
-DESTRUCTION -HABITAT LOSS AND CORAL REEF

PRESSURES

IMPACT
DRIVERS

-INCREASED HUMAN DEGREDATION RESTORATION PROJECT

OF CORAL REEFS
DEMAND FOR FOOD -DECREASED
AND OTHER -DECREASE MARINE-LIFE -use of mass coral larval
AQUATIC OFFSPRING POPULATION AND enhancement or “larval
RESOURCES PRODUCTION OTHER AQUATIC reseeding” as restoration
-OVER AND ILLEGAL AMONG MARINE- RESOURCES method for the coral
FISHING - SLOWER GROWTH
LIFE SPECIES OR reefs.
-UNREGULATED POSSIBLE OF CORAL REEFS
AQUACULTURE
-protect it from future
AND MAKES THEM
EXTINCTION threats.
-POOR WATERWAY VULNERABLE TO
SYSTEMS -CORAL REEF ALGAE, DISEASE, -stimulate use by more
BLEACHING AND DEATH environmentally-
conscious visitors.
EXPECTED OUTCOMES -generate possible
 RESTORED, PROTECTED AND WELL-MANAGED MARINE LIFE benefits
DIVERSITY AND RESOURCES. of investing in active
 INCREASED ANNUAL MARGINAL BENEFITS. coral reef restoration
N
 Magsaysay Reef, a shallow reef found 200 m offshore--the
reefs have suffered from damage associated with over and
illegal fishing, unregulated aquaculture, poor waterway
systems, as well as predation from crown of thorns starfish
 need for restoration because of its damaged condition and
relatively low mean density of hard coral cover (HCC)
 need to consider the benefits generated by investments in
NEEDS

active coral reef restoration in the Philippines.

 need for more environmentally-conscious visitors and local
community.
S
 estimation of the marginal recreational benefits
associated with a change in asset (reef) quality.
 use a restoration technique known as mass coral larval
enhancement or “larval reseeding”. This technique has
been used in the Bolinao-Anda Reef Complex since
2008 for larval enhancement studies, where some of the
coral transplants have already become sexually mature
and capable of producing their own offspring.
 improve protective effort to increase the probability of
SOLUTIONS restoration success.
D
 projections for the reef’s improved condition may vary,
DIFFERENTIATION

as the technology for mass larval reseeding is currently

being field-tested and improved. As such, the
contingent value of an improvement in coral reef
conditions are also subject to change as this technology
evolves.
 should have the re-establishment of breeding
populations as a fundamental aim and an explicit
objective of self-sustaining breeding populations
 Longer time-frame in conducting the study, providing
adequate and ongoing monitoring of the reefs
B
BENEFITS  Restoring coral reefs in TWSB will provide coastal
protection for the Andal community, improved fisheries
production, leading to increased food security,
employment opportunities and resources for local
people, improved water quality, and an increase in
benefits in recreation and tourism.
 update in the effectivity of mass coral larval
enhancement or “larval reseeding”.
B
BENEFITS