Fisherfolks, NGO initiate mangrove rehabilitation

By Klenn Salde Tinapay

Some 20 members of Kapunungan San Tomaliguesnon nga Mandaragat (KATOMAN) and Tomaligues Women’s Association (TOWA), in cooperation with the Barangay Council of Tomaligues, assisted by the Center for Empowerment and Resource Development-Fishery Integrated Resource Management for Economic Development (CERD-FIRMED) Samar Sea Program recently held a mangrove rehabilitation project in the coastal community of Brgy. Tomaligues, Tinambacan district this city.

KATOMAN and TOWA are organizations of small fisherfolks and fishworkers in this area organized by the FIRMED Samar Sea Program of CERD.

CERD is a non-stock, non –profit and non-government organization aimed to address the issues, problems and other concerns of fisherfolks, both men and women, for them to effectively manage the marine resources on which they depend for livelihood.

Mangrove rehabilitation was the resource management option used by the said organizations to restore the mangrove forest cover in this area being a unique life-support system of the coastal ecosystem that provides many uses for their coastal community.

Although the community has an existing 2-year old mangrove project near the mouth of the river, it has not been sustained by previous sponsoring agencies.

Through the efforts of these organization, about 250 propagules of natural mangrove seeds taken from adult trees were planted on this area.

Part of its project management are the regular cleaning of the site to eliminate wastes and garbage material (plastic, net remnants, etc.), barnacles, fouling organisms, etc., replanting of areas with low survival, monitoring, and updating with the community and the local government.

The said activity, specifically, aims to improve the mangrove forest cover in areas previously cleared for other purposes (e.g. fishpond, abandoned development, etc.), enhance habitat of socio-economically important marine organisms (i.e. crabs, shrimps, etc.) that are biologically dependent on mangrove ecosystem and ensure sustainable harvest of mangrove trees.

In the long term, it gears to provide supplemental income from marine products to coastal communities dwelling in the area and give ownership to the community to manage the resource.

In a survey conducted by CERD in this barangay last July 29, 1998, it was discovered that there were only about 70 hectares of mangrove forest in this area; part of it has been converted to fishponds that protects the community from strong wind and big waves.

The survey revealed that Miyapi (Rhizopora Apiculata) dominated the area due to its sandy to muddy substrates apt for the growing of this specie in much higher rate.

It was known further that predominantly small secondary growth trees with few larger mature ones were seen at the outer part of the forest but at the inner portion, large Nipa (Nypa Fruticans) dominated the thick amd widely dispersed mangroves.

In the said area, numerous fast growing bakhaw (Rhizopora Mucronata) was also seen.

Based on the resources assessment conducted by the same NGO in 1996, the remaining mangrove forest of Calbayog, located within its central portion and widely dispersed to Tinambacan proper, is just 140 hectares.

According to the fisherfolks, in 1960’s there was thick mangrove cover from Calbayog proper down to Tinambacan area extending up to 200 meters seaward from the lowest tide mark during low tide.

A big percentage of its original area has been converted fo fishponds, rice fields, coconut plantations, settlements and other commercial and industrial purposes.

Two of the minor causes of these conversions are the population growth and migration of other fishers from other parts of central Philippines (i.e. Cebu, Masbate and Leyte among others).

These conversions limited the capacity of the existing mangrove areas to provide nutrient requirement essential in the food chain and habitat of many living organisms.

The deterioration of the mangrove area resulted to the decreasing volume of Bangus fry and shrimp fry which also affected the income of the fry gatherers particularly the women fishers.

The Community-Based Fishery Management Plan for Tinambacan District, Calbayog City proposed by the Tinambacan Federation of Fisherfolks stressed the need to stop the continues destruction of the mangrove ecosystem through rehabilitation of the mangrove areas, its species diversity, and associated organisms, to develop a sound management plan for the sustainable utilization of mangroves and to ensure that there is sustained production of Bangus and Shrimp fry which will provide income to men and women fry gatherers in the area.

(This news article appeared in The Samar Reporter dated January 21-27, 1999, Vol. XXII, No. 4)