Philippines 2

Objectives Introduce the cohort Introduce the rationale for the TOC Overview of the Cohort Generic TOC

Overarching theme for the Cohort "Scaling up MPAs towards multi-Municipal ecological, social and institutional MPA networks“ as a Climate Change strategy for the Philippines

Importance

The threat: Only 10%-20% of Philippine MPAs are functioning effectively (Arceo, H, Aliño, P and Gonzales, R; 2008). Inconsistent MPA management and enforcement have allowed a tendency for over-fishing and destructive fishing in and around MPAs to become socially tolerated. The result has been a dramatic reduction in biomass and ecosystem integrity, a trend which is now being amplified by the increasing effects of climate change (Brander et al. 2007; Chavez 2003; Hoegh-Guldberg et al. 2007). With 70% of the country’s 1,500 municipalities found on coastlines, the Philippines is one of the world’s most at-risk nations from climate change (World Bank 2008, Yusuf and Francisco 2010).

The enabling conditions & bright spot: The Philippines is a global “bright spot” for coastal Natural Resource Management. Responsibility for MPA management is devolved to the municipal level and includes a mandate to use Integrated Costal Resource Management (ICRM) and the legal structure for TURFs. Many Philippine MPAs are achieving success. Tubbataha and Apo Reef in the national system are well known, as are the municipal MPA networks of Dauin (located in Negros Oriental, and the bright spot inspiration for the PEP II cohort)

The Impact By including 15 partners, with each containing several existing (and/or planned) MPAs, the cohort will directly address 29 MPAs (nearly 3% of the Philippine total), representing 1,651 hectares of NTZs in more than 403,000 hectares of municipal fisheries turfs. This program directly follow Rare’s current program (12 sites, 16 MPAs), which will bring the total number of marine campaigns in the Philippines to 27 in 2012 – reaching 28 LGUs (3% of all coastal LGUs).

2 key elements to the Cohort Element 1 - Building a foundation for local, municipal and network turfs Element 2 - Scaling-up impact through multi-LGU MPA networks:

Building on 3 types of MPA network Ecological MPA networks – Meaning MPAs should be appropriately sized, placed and spaced to effectively function as an ecological network and achieve conservation results (biodiversity goals in the context of climate adaptation). In shorthand, often referred to within Rare as “the science”. Social MPA networks – Social MPA networks facilitate learning and coordination of administration and planning by linking the people and institutions involved in MPA in a coordinated and holistic initiative. The social portion of the network allows stakeholders and communities to coordinate their activities and share experiences with each other. This is where the strength of Pride social marketing to create supportive social conditions really comes in. Institutional MPA networks – This part of the network is establishing the institutions and long term funding to ensure effective management, enforcement and an institutional capability to introduce and run more formal rights-based fisheries management. In Rare’s parlance, this is the Barrier Removal.

MPAs in the Philippines We have the science, the planning process and the tools for their management, governance, effectiveness and monitoring all published and nicely documented in the Philippines of worlds 4900 Every year of the 5-10% of countries MPAs fail or have major problems We can’t seem to be able to sustain them

Problems are social – it’s not the fish or corals.. Rules and regulations are not clear / understood Unclear on the benefits and advantages of MPA Expectations of the MPA not balanced – a small MPA – small benefit (bank deposit) Different community sectors (gleaners, Women, youth, village officials and other groups were not included in the planning process) Municipal waters are x Ha? Total hectarage sa MPA is small

Focus was only on the fishers, not wider community Objectives were not clear Incentive systems unclear Political interference MPAs for biodiversity conservation, not for human objectives Social problems (cont.)

PRIDE First time we have all embarked on this Mestiza of PRIDE (Rare’s approach) and Philippines marine experience (Methodology keep similar concepts, Monitoring, PCRA, MPA planning etc).

Top problems in Philippine MPAs “Community buy in and ownership and MPA governance ” Our Hypothesis for the Cohort

Top problems in Philippine MPAs “Community buy in and ownership (Solution = PRIDE) and MPA governance (Solution = Comprehensive Philippines MPA experience in BR) ” Put Another way with the Proposed Solution our Hypothesis is..

Social Marketing campaign to generate ownership and pride by the WHOLE COMMUNITY with SUPPORT PARTNERS to “make it “resilient” and socially accepted by over 70-80% of community and it will sustain forever Put in place MPA governance Back to our focus for the cohort Upgrading our MPAs – Making them Socially Resilient

Theory Of Change Series of Stepping Stones – done in parallel to achieve a goal / direction The generic Theory of Change is a generalized TOC for all your sites It has evolved from 2 years work with the first cohort and has been refined to focus on scaling up MPAs into Networks Your site based TOC is a draft road map – that you will be able to refine for each of your sites and as you get new pieces of information from (Community, Management committee, partners, KAP surveys, Reef Monitoring, influential persons etc.)

Increase fishing community knowledge of MPA location and regulations; benefits of healthy MPAs; and methods for reporting infractions. K

Shift community perceptions from seeing MPA as restrictions on fish catches, and declining fish catches as inevitable, towards feeling of ownership and protection of their MPA; and believing in the importance of following MPA regulations and reporting infractions. A

Fishing community discussions help establish a new “social norm” to support effective MPA management, follow MPA regulations, and report infractions. IC

Improve capacity and incentives for climate adaptive governance and enforcement of network MPAs. Establish clearly defined co-management agreements between community MPA management bodies and LGU technical working groups, supported by LGU clusters, local, provincial and national institutions under principles of accountability, transparency, participation and functionality. BR

Fishers no longer fish within the MPA and practice legal fishing practices in the buffer zone. Fishers actively manage and monitor the MPA. Fishing community actively reports MPA infractions to proper authorities and participates in MPA-related activities. BC

Overfishing, as defined by illegal intrusions and fishing inside the MPA and buffer zone (defined as being 500m from MPA boundaries), drops dramatically, allowing coral and fish biomass to build up. TR

By August 2014, improved ecological health of MPAs, which form part of MPA networks with combined no-take zones and buffer zones of 1,651.9 hectares within at least 403,554 hectares of municipal waters, as demonstrated by 5-10% increase in coral reef cover, fish and invertebrate diversity and abundance, and fish biomass, in a sample of one MPA per MPA network, leading to improved fish catch per unit of effort of locals fishing in the waters surrounding the MPA. CR

Review of Objectives  Introduce the cohort  Introduce the rationale for the TOC  Overview of the Cohort Generic TOC

Looking forward to Getting to know you all Building on the first marine cohort which ends in August, 2012 Working with you through the ups and downs of 2 years together in an intensive hard work flashed with some fun and celebrating our experiences together to take marine conservation to the next level.

From Askals to Philippines 2..

If we get it right here… Philippines contains 25% of world’s MPAs Get it right here, influence the global network Welcome to the Global Network of Rare Conservation fellows – numbers for Rare globally