Verde Island Passage Research Articles

Immediate Socioeconomic Impacts of Mindoro Oil Spill on Fisherfolk of Naujan, Philippines

In February 2023, an oil tanker carrying 5660 bbl of industrial fuel oil sank off Naujan in the Philippines, causing an oil spill in the waters of Oriental Mindoro and nearby provinces. The disaster affected fishing communities as well as marine ecosystems including the Verde Island Passage, which is at the “center of the world’s marine biodiversity”. This study assessed the immediate social and economic impacts of this oil spill on various communities of the Naujan coast. We conducted semi-structured interviews and employed a narrative analysis to explore the lived experiences of fisherfolk after the oil spill and to understand the socioeconomic impacts. With the prohibition of fishing and other aquatic activities, the participants lost up to USD 1300 of income per week from fishing. The participants had no other source of income due to the lack of other skills or an opportunity for an alternative livelihood in the community. While the government provided food packs and financial assistance, the participants found these insufficient to sustain their basic family needs including food, utilities, education, and health. Traces of oil were also found in the sources of potable water affecting their daily household activities. The fisherfolk, who live in communities that are vulnerable to natural and human-made hazards, had their subsistence, food security, and human well-being highly compromised. The findings provided recommendations for government interventions to mitigate the impacts of an oil spill and other future disasters, considering social, economic, and human ecological perspectives.

Examining the triple bottom line benefits of ecotourism: a multi-faceted approach

This study assessed the economic (Ec), environmental (En), and social aspects (SA) of ecotourism (ET) in the Philippines in Lobo (LO) and Batangas (BT). The Verde Island Passage, where LO is located, is said to be the hub of marine biodiversity on earth. Another characteristic of LO is the 120-year-old Malabrigo Lighthouse, which views Verde Island. Tectona philippinensis trees, which grow in mountain ranges, are severely endangered in the Philippines. There are also fish sanctuaries, lovely beaches, and diving spots there.394 inhabitants of 18 barangays or local villages in the ecotourism regions (ETR), who were chosen by stratified-proportional random selection, provided their opinions. A survey questionnaire was used to acquire data for this descriptive research. Results indicate that ET in L is socially, commercially, and ecologically acceptable. To ensure the viability of ET over the long term, the local Lobo government (LLG) and the Tourist Sector(TS) should exercise continual caution in all aspects of development. Residents of the surrounding areas should also be constantly looking for methods to safeguard the Lobo Environment (LE) and preserve its natural resources, which should take precedence above any financial advantages that industry, tourism, or other sectors may be able to provide.

Good coral cover and high diversity of corals in non-MPA reefs of the Verde Island Passage as a basis for increased protection and conservation

The Verde Island Passage (VIP) is a region in the Philippines with very high marine biodiversity. Baseline coral assessments were conducted in selected sites in the four provinces of the VIP (Batangas, Marinduque, Occidental Mindoro, and Oriental Mindoro) to compare coral abundance and biodiversity in Marine Protected Area (MPA) and non-MPA sites that were subjected to anthropogenic stressors. A total of eight sites were surveyed to measure average hard coral cover (HCC) relative to other benthic components. Generic richness and the dominant coral genera were also obtained for the eight sites. The average HCC and generic richness of Batangas MPA and Batangas non-MPA were (39.82 ± 7.59%, 22 coral TAUs) and (38.80 ± 5.56%, 27 coral TAUs), respectively. The average HCC and generic richness of Marinduque MPA and Marinduque non-MPA were (25.58 ± 2.37%, 13 coral TAUs) and (35.73 ± 4.05%, 17 coral TAUs), respectively. The average HCC and generic richness of Occidental Mindoro MPA and Occidental Mindoro non-MPA were (49.49 ± 4.50%, 26 coral TAUs) and (32.32 ± 5.60%, 19 coral TAUs), respectively. The average HCC and generic richness of Oriental Mindoro MPA and Oriental Mindoro non-MPA were (25.02 ± 4.72%, 24 coral TAUs) and (5.93 ± 2.10%, 10 coral TAUs), respectively. Batangas non-MPA and Marinduque non-MPA showed potential to become MPAs due to their higher HCC and generic richness which were attributed to natural disturbances and duration of local reef management in their MPA counterparts. Continued monitoring and assessment should be done to build on the growing database of biodiversity data that is being compiled for the VIP.

SEASID: Study on Enforcement of Amended Fisheries Law Specific at Verde Island Passage: Input to Improvement and Development of Policy Alternatives

This study was designed to understand the enforcement of amended Fisheries Law Specific at Verde Island Passage(VIP). The study described the situation in the VIP and the efforts to solve the Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated (IUU) Fishing in VIP Batangas Marine Key Biodiversity Areas (MKBAs) toward formulation of policy alternatives. Data were gathered through interviews among stakeholders. The data went through two-level coding and were further analyzed. The amended Fisheries Law were analyzed by its performance with stakeholders as participants. Results showed that issues on amended Fisheries Law enforcement in VIP MKBAs are associated in the enforcement associated with the use of force; enforcement will always involve conflict; enforcement always involves risk; and enforcement is often costly and complex. In fact, it also reveals that the weak implementation roots from the local governance who is influenced by politics. The two policy alternatives identified were: 1) Pursuance of Policy on Deployment of Permanent Maritime Police Enforcers in the Verde Island Passage Marine Key Biodiversity Areas to report to Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources as the lead enforcer of RA 10654; and 2) Pursuance of Policy on the Establishment of Social Enterprises as Alternative Livelihood for Fisherfolk in the Verde Island Passage Marine Key Biodiversity Areas. Based on the developed criteria levels of risk and uncertainty, the two policy alternatives were evaluated in an aim to solve the continuous increase illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing in VIP MKBAs. Between the two alternatives, “Policy on Deployment of Permanent Maritime Police Enforcers in the Verde Island Passage Marine Key Biodiversity Areas to report to Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources as the lead enforcer of RA 10654” generated the greater percentage.

An earthquake-triggered submarine mass failure mechanism for the 1994 Mindoro tsunami in the Philippines: Constraints from numerical modeling and submarine geomorphology

Tsunamis have been known to result from a wide range of phenomena, such as earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, submarine mass failures, and meteorite impacts. Of earthquake-generated tsunamis, those arising from strike-slip mechanisms are less common, with the 1994 Mindoro tsunami in the Philippines among the few known examples. The 1994 Mindoro tsunami followed a Mw 7.1 earthquake along the right-lateral Aglubang River Fault. The tsunami affected the coasts surrounding the Verde Island Passage, one of the Philippines’ insular seas located between the islands of Luzon and Mindoro, and east of the West Philippine Sea margin. A total of 78 lives were lost due to the earthquake and tsunami, with 41 being directly attributed to the tsunami alone. Despite the close spatial and temporal association between the 1994 Mindoro earthquake and tsunami, previous numerical modeling suggests the need for other contributing mechanisms for the 1994 tsunami. In this study, we conducted submarine geomorphological mapping of the South Pass within the Verde Island Passage, with particular focus on identifying possible submarine mass failures. Identification of submarine features were based on Red Relief Image Map (RIMM), Topographic Position Index (topographic position index)-based landform classification, and profile and plan curvatures derived from high-resolution bathymetry data. Among the important submarine features mapped include the San Andres submarine mass failure (SASMF). The San Andres submarine mass failure has an estimated volume of 0.0483 km3 and is located within the Malaylay Submarine Canyon System in the Verde Island Passage, ∼1 km offshore of San Andres in Baco, Oriental Mindoro. We also explored two tsunami models (EQ-only and EQ+SMF) for the 1994 Mindoro tsunami using JAGURS. The source mechanisms for both models included an earthquake component based on the Mw 7.1 earthquake, while the EQ+SMF also included an additional submarine mass failure component based on the mapped San Andres submarine mass failure. Modeled wave heights from the EQ-only model drastically underestimates the observed wave heights for the 1994 Mindoro tsunami. In contrast, the EQ+SMF model tsunami wave height estimates were closer to the observed data. As such, we propose an earthquake-triggered, submarine mass failure source mechanism for the 1994 Mindoro tsunami.

Macrophyte Diversity and Conservation Values of the Verde Island Passage, Philippines

The diversity and distribution of marine macrophytes – including seaweeds and seagrasses – in the Verde Island Passage (VIP), Philippines, was assessed covering nine sites across four provinces (Batangas, Marinduque, Occidental Mindoro, and Oriental Mindoro). Presence-absence data were compared to those of other sites within the VIP collected in earlier studies. Data from the VIP were then compared to sites with similar environmental and geographical features in other parts of the Philippines. A total of 116 macroalgal species and nine seagrass species were recorded from the VIP. This macroalgal richness represents approximately 12% of the reported macroalgae, and the number of seagrass species represents almost half of the known species in the country, suggesting that VIP supports a high diversity of marine macrophytes. Data analyses showed significant clustering of sites within the VIP. Some of the neighboring sites with similar environmental conditions also clustered together. The separation of clusters with sites outside the VIP may, in part, be explained by differences in local environmental conditions such as types of substratum, water depth, and current patterns (water motion). The diversity and uniqueness of marine macrophytes in the VIP highlight the importance of the ecosystem services and functions that these organisms provide. The role of various abiotic and biotic factors in driving variations in macroalgal diversity in the passage needs to be further verified with increased sampling efforts to obtain a more comprehensive understanding of the conservation value of the VIP.

Prograding Shoreline, Emerging Gravel Bars, and Mangrove Recolonization in 40 Years on a Mixed Siliciclastic-Carbonate Coast in Southwestern Luzon, Philippines

Changes in shoreline positions provide a historical record for identifying causal mechanisms and adaptive responses of coastlines to a wide spectrum of sea-level change that arises either from natural or anthropogenic disturbances. This paper presents a case study of coastal change during a period of the steady rise in sea level that is coupled with frequent storm events. Observations from multiple sources including field survey, topographic map, and series of satellite images were combined and analyzed to determine shoreline changes along the western coast of Calatagan, Batangas from 1979–2018. The Digital Shoreline Analysis System (DSAS) extension tool of ArcGIS was used to estimate magnitudes of shoreline changes, either erosion or accretion. Surface sediment samples were acquired in March and April 2010 to assess the predominant grain size and composition. Historical shoreline positions show that the western coast of Calatagan exhibits discrete erosion, but predominantly coastal accretion trend over a period of nearly 40 years. Both land progradation and the emergence of sand-gravel bars after 1992 occurred in a period of rising sea level across the South China Sea basin, including the West Philippine Sea. Land progradation is attributed to an increase in sediment input to the coast from agricultural activities in unconsolidated volcanic terrain. Notably, overlapping events of storms between 1993–1995 and the 1994 tsunami in the Verde Island Passage (VIP) may have emplaced and reworked a large amount of reef front material onto the reef flat forming emergent bars. Newly accreted lands and emergent bars were subsequently colonized by Avicennia and Sonneratia mangroves. This study highlights that in certain areas, local factors such as increased sediment supply from agricultural activities, storms, and possibly tsunami can modulate shoreline changes in response to modern-day sea-level rise.

Sleuthing cryptic Chromodorids (Mollusca, Nudibranchia): adding to Philippine marine biodiversity

The Verde Island Passage of the Philippines is renowned for its rich marine biodiversity and heterobranch mollusks are demonstrable models of that species richness of the region. Chromodorid nudibranchs represent a particularly rich taxon, with species of Chromodoris being one of the most iconic and abundant taxa in shallow water coral reef environments. Despite being one of the best-documented clades of nudibranch mollusks, recent work has shown that numerous cryptic and pseudocryptic species are abundant in the waters of the Coral Triangle region. This paper reviews the species richness and distribution of Chromodoris species in the Philippines and provides a description of a new species of Chromodoris from the region. Chromodoris alcalai Gosliner, n. sp. is named to honor Dr. Angel Alcala’s 90th birthday and his pioneering contributions to preserving the marine biodiversity of the Philippines. This species is most similar externally to C. dianae Gosliner and Behrens, 1998, with which it was erroneous lumped. Distinctness of molecular data, external morphology and coloration, and internal anatomical features clearly distinguish these two species. KEYWORDS: systematics, Nudibranchia, coral reefs, Indo-Pacific, Coral Triangle

Endemic Philippine Teak (<I>Tectona philippinensis</I> Benth. & Hook. F.) And Associated Flora In The Coastal Landscapes Of Verde Island Passage, Luzon Island, Philippines

The Philippine teak forest (PTF) is a formation with the Endangered Tectona philippinensis Benth. & Hook. f., Lamiaceae – an endemic tree flora in the Batangas Province along the Verde Island Passage, Luzon Island, Philippines. In this study, we determine the general floristic composition of PTF. Vegetation anal-ysis across coastal to inland continuum generated the data for general floristic richness, growth structure and diversity indices. A total of 128 species under 111 genera in 48 families was recorded with overall plant diversity of very low to moderate (Shannon–Wiener: 0.8675–2.681). Plant life based on morpho-species was composed of dominant trees (68 species), shrubs (5) and subshrubs (9), bush palm (1) and palm-like tree (1), lianas (7), epiphytic tree (1), semi-woody climbers (3), epiphytic and geophytic orchids (4), epiphytic and terrestrial ferns (5), annuals to erect succulent peren-nial herbs (9), herbaceous climbers and creepers (6), geophytic herbs and climber (1), low and tall grasses, including bamboo (5) and sedges (2). Such structural diversity is comprised of some of the unique botanical ensembles associated with endemic T. philippinensis in the coastal landscape.

Marine macrophyte composition during summer, southwest and northeast monsoons in Verde Island, Batangas City, Batangas, Philippines

Verde Island Passage is the world’s center of the center of marine shore fish biodiversity, located in southwestern Luzon Island in the Philippines. The passage is named after Verde Island, which is located at its middle. Although the island is located within a key biodiversity area, studies on its marine macrophyte biodiversity are scant. The present study was conducted to determine the composition, distribution, and dominance of marine macrophytes, specifically seaweeds and seagrass, during the northeast monsoon, summer, and southwest monsoon in four coastal areas in Verde Island using the line transect-quadrat method. Results revealed 63 macrophyte species, of which 92% were seaweeds and 8% were seagrass. The majority of the seaweeds were green (41%), followed by red (35%) and brown (16%) seaweeds. In most sites, the brown seaweed Padina sp. was dominant during summer and cover decreased during both monsoons. The green seaweed Neomeris annulata was present in all sites and seasons. The differences in cover across sites may be due to substratum type and topography where a relatively wider intertidal zone with different substratum such as rocky and sandy to muddy provides complex habitat promoting higher macrophyte cover. Temporal differences in marine macrophyte composition were more pronounced in macroalgae-dominated sites than in the seagrass-dominated site. Several important seaweeds that could be studied as bioindicators were recorded, such as Padina sp., which registered high cover especially in sites near populated areas and backyard pig pens. Ulva spp., which are known to form green tide blooms, and Caulerpa verticillata were also noted and should be monitored. Some red seaweeds with potential for cultivation were observed (i.e., Halymenia durvillei and Portieria hornemannii). Claudea sp., an uncommon red seaweed with limited distribution in the Philippines, was recorded and needs verification. This study is the first extensive marine macrophyte assessment at the heart of the Verde Island Passage. KEYWORDS: biodiversity, bioindicator, eutrophication, microbenthic algae, seagrass, Verde Island Passage

Analysis of human and Philippine teak forest interaction in the lasang-baybay landscape along Verde Island Passage Marine Corridor, Batangas Province, Philippines

Analysis of human and Philippine teak forest interaction in the lasang-baybay landscape along Verde Island Passage Marine Corridor, Batangas Province, Philippines

A New Species of Fairy Wrasse (Teleostei: Labridae: Cirrhilabrus) from Mesophotic Coral Ecosystems of the Verde Island Passage, Philippines

The new species, Cirrhilabrus briangreenei, is described on the basis of the holotype and six paratypes collected from mesophotic coral ecosystems of the Verde Island Passage, Philippines, between depths of 82 and 110 m. The new species is most closely related to Cirrhilabrus pylei, but it differs primarily in the presence of: more pored scales on the posterior lateral line (7–9 vs. 5–6); a lower number of circumpeduncular scales (14 vs. 16); a lower number of gill rakers (16–17 vs. 18–20); and differences in coloration details of the dorsal and caudal fins. Both species differ from all other congeners in sharing the following combination of characters: pelvic fins very long (56.5–70.0% SL), often extending past anal-fin terminus in males; caudal fin scintillating and iridescent in males; dorsal fin with sinuous scribbling in both sexes; anterior dorsal fin with a metallic blue spot on first one to two interspinous membrane spaces; snout with three parallel stripes from maxilla to anterior edge of orbit; and rest of head with a network of short broken pinstripes in both sexes. These characters are also distributed in part amongst other species of Cirrhilabrus, in particular, C. katoi, C. lineatus, C. rhomboidalis, and C. rubrimarginatus, and their putative relationships are discussed on the basis of meristic, morphometric, and molecular sequence data. We briefly comment on the variability of morphological characters within Cirrhilabrus and their implications towards phylogenetic classification, with remarks on methods for data collection for species of Cirrhilabrus.

Woody plant communities in the Philippine teak forest landscape along Verde Island Passage, Batangas, Luzon, Philippines

Abstract. Caringal AM, Buot IE Jr, Villanueva ELC. 2019. Woody plant communities in the Philippine teak forest landscape along Verde Island Passage, Batangas, Luzon, Philippines. Biodiversitas 20: 3189-3198. The study described the communities of woody plants in a semi-evergreen tropical forest dominated by endemic Philippine teak (Tectona philippinensis Benth. & Hook. f, Lamiaceae) and determined the local environmental factors affecting the distribution of dominant woody species across the Philippine teak forest (PTF) landscape. The Philippine teak is a Critically Endangered species according to the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN). Quantitative dominance analysis of arboreal vegetation data (basal area and relative dominance) from 24 (20m x 20m) sampling plots generated the cluster dendrogram, while Canonical Correspondence Analysis (CCA) was performed for 47 woody species and habitat-environment variables. As a result, four vegetation zones were named: (I) pure stand of Tectona philippinensis, (II) mixed T. philippinensis-Garuga floribunda-Terminalia polyantha, (III) mixed Celtis latifolia-T. philippinensis and (IV) mixed Tamarindus indica-Xylocarpus rumphii. These zones were governed more by physiographic (altitude ) and edaphic influences of predominantly agro-coastal landscapes. The environmental variables were essential in verifying not only the association of dominant tree flora in the local landscape but also provide insight for forest management zoning and the ecological requirements of the tree species for in-situ and ex-situ biodiversity conservation.

Imperatives for Conservation in a Threatened Center of Biodiversity

The Verde Island Passage, lying in the “Coral Triangle” and situated between the main Philippine island of Luzon and the island of Mindoro, has been reported as the “center of the center” of shorefish diversity, yet there are no documented successful cases of marine protection. On the northern coast of Mindoro, here focusing on the municipality of Abra de Ilog, an apparent contradiction lies in the fact that the number of families of coral and fish, and corresponding species counts, remains relatively high, though coral cover is “fair to good” at best due to various sources of anthropogenic impact. Furthermore, the mean catch per unit effort (0.92 kg/person/hour) and the mean income per unit effort (PhP33.3 [USD 0.70]/person/hour) are both low, with 23% of total fishing trips reporting no catch. Terrestrial run-off, mainly siltation, and overfishing are the main threats. Though the area is situated in a recognized center of biodiversity, fishing as a means of livelihood cannot be sustained. A major challenge to the establishment of marine protected areas is social acceptability

Seaweed Biodiversity and Temperature Fluctuations of Calatagan Bay, Verde Island Passage

Changes in seaweed biodiversity reflect ecological changes and management of coastal communities. Calatagan Bay is a tourism, agriculture and aquaculture hotspot fronting the Verde Island Passage, touted to be the global center of marine biodiversity. Detection of stressors through monitoring is the key in the proper management of the area. This study surveyed existing seaweed species of the coast, and contrasted it with reported species in the area together with fluctuations in sea surface temperatures for the past two decades, contrasted with the local knowledge and perspectives of local coast-dwellers. Seaweed along the coast were collected from a representative area of 50 km2 with species identification based on morphology and pigment. Ten species that were previously unreported were found while fourteen previously reported species were no longer observed. Caulerpa, Kappaphycus and Sargassum, all with known market demands, were the dominant genera. Sea surface temperature data from local weather stations and the NOMADs database indicate significant warming events from June 1998 to present, with peak sea surface temperature at 31.9oC. Focused group discussions with local communities indicate increased incidences of ice-ice disease, and issues with the uncontrolled use of fertilizers of neighboring farms contaminating their coastal fronts.

Seaweed biodiversity and temperature fluctuations of Calatagan bay, Verde Island passage

Changes in seaweed biodiversity reflect ecological changes and management of coastal communities. Calatagan Bay is a tourism, agriculture and aquaculture hotspot fronting the Verde Island Passage, touted to be the global center of marine biodiversity. Detection of stressors through monitoring is key in the proper management of the area. This study surveyed existing seaweed species of the coast, and contrasted it with reported species in the area together with fluctuations in sea surface temperatures for the past two decades, contrasted with the local knowledge and perspectives of local coast-dwellers. Seaweed along the coast were collected from a representative area of 50 km2 with species identification based on morphology and pigment. Nine species that were previously unreported were found while fourteen previously reported species were no longer observed. Caulerpa, Kappaphycus and Sargassum, all with known market demands, were the dominant genera. Sea surface temperature data from local weather stations and the NOMADs database indicate significant warming events from June 1998 to present, with peak sea surface temperature at 31.9oC. Focused group discussions with local communities indicate increased incidences of ice-ice disease, and issues with the uncontrolled use of fertilizers of neighboring farms contaminating their coastal fronts.

Delineating priority areas for marine biodiversity conservation in the Coral Triangle

Identifying priority areas for biodiversity conservation requires systematic approaches and integrated ecological and biological information. Here, we applied a range of ecological criteria to assess areas of biodiversity importance in the Coral Triangle region, a priority region for marine biodiversity conservation because of its high species richness and endemicity. We used distribution data of three biogenic habitats to assess the criterion of sensitive habitat, modeled geographic distributions of 10,672 species ranges and occurrence records of 19,251 species to evaluate the criterion of species richness, distributions of 834 species of special conservation concern to examine the criterion of species of conservation concern, distributions of 373 reef fish species to assess the criterion of restricted-range species, and distribution of nesting sites and migratory route of six species of sea turtle to evaluate the criterion of areas of importance for particular life history stages. We identified areas of biodiversity importance by superimposing each of the different criterion. We performed two tiers of multi-criteria analysis: (1) a Coral Triangle regional level analysis to identify “clustered hotspots” (i.e., groups of cells) of biodiversity significance, and (2) a site-based analysis to identify the specific sites (cells) of greatest biodiversity importance. We found that approximately 13% of the Coral Triangle was clustered into hotspots of high biodiversity importance. These areas occurred along the southern part of the Philippines, the north-eastern part of Malaysian Sabah, central to eastern reaches of Indonesia, the eastern part of Papua New Guinea and the Solomon Islands. By comparison, the site-based analysis identified seven sites of highest biodiversity importance in the Coral Triangle include: (1) the northern tip of Sulawesi Island, (2) Ambon Island, (3) Kei Islands, (4) Raja Ampat Archipelago of Indonesian Papua, (5) the Verde Island Passage, (6) the southern part of Negros Island, and (7) Cebu Island. This information is useful to inform participatory decision-making processes in the Coral Triangle region to identify priority areas for conservation and management.

Threats on the Natural Stand of Philippine Teak along Verde Island Passage Marine Corridor (VIPMC), Southern Luzon, Philippines

This study documents the threats of the critically endangered Tectona philippinensis in the backdrop of the past conservation policies and projects. Twelve 20m x 50m plots were distributed in three altitudinal strata (S1= 50 – 100 m asl, S2= 150 to 200 m asl, and S3= 250 – 300 m asl) using stratified random sampling. Every tree was examined to detect presence of pest and diseases on foliage, stem, buttress and exposed root system. Threats of anomalous weather patterns like intense drought and human disturbances were also recorded. Leaf skeletonizers, shotholes, buttrot, heartrot, rootrot, illegal harvesting, charcoal making, wind damages, and intense dry season are among the most alarming threats of T. philippinensis. Germinants and wildlings are most susceptible to wilting during intense drought during dry season. A number of interesting species of arthropods and macrofungi within the stand were also encountered. There are variations on the incidence and infection across altitudinal habitat and across diameter classes. Poles and standards at lower altitudinal habitat (<100 m asl) are the most disturbed and susceptible to the disturbances. Existing conservation and protection policies should be strictly implemented especially in hotspot habitats.

Roa rumsfeldi, a new butterflyfish (Teleostei, Chaetodontidae) from mesophotic coral ecosystems of the Philippines

A new species of the butterflyfish genus Roa is herein described from the Verde Island Passage in the Philippines, West Pacific Ocean. Roa rumsfeldi sp. n. was found on mesophotic coral ecosystems at Puerto Galera and Batangas, and sampled through technical mixed-gas rebreather diving at 100–130 m depth. This represents the fifth known species of Roa. The main differences between Roa rumsfeldi sp. n. and its congeners are the lower number of pored scales in the lateral line, longer snout, longer caudal peduncle, shorter caudal fin, pelvic fin color (dark first spine vs. white in all other Roa), and genetics (8.4% divergence from its closest relative Roa modesta in the mitochondrial COI gene). Roa spp. are usually seen in pairs, but the two specimens we collected were solitary individuals. We have kept one of the specimens alive in the California Academy of Sciences’ Twilight Zone exhibit for more than one year, where it thrives and is feeding on a variety of dried and fresh food.

Patterns of Coral-Reef Finfish Species Disappearances Inferred from Fishers' Knowledge in Global Epicentre of Marine Shorefish Diversity.

In the Philippines, very high fishing pressure coincides with the globally greatest number of shorefish species, yet no long-term fisheries data are available to explore species-level changes that may have occurred widely in the most species rich and vulnerable marine ecosystem, namely coral reefs. Through 2655 face-to-face interviews conducted between August 2012 and July 2014, we used fishers’ recall of past catch rates of reef-associated finfish to infer species disappearances from catches in five marine key biodiversity areas (Lanuza Bay, Danajon Bank, Verde Island Passage, Polillo Islands and Honda Bay). We modeled temporal trends in perceived catch per unit effort (CPUE) based on fishers’ reports of typical good days’ catches using Generalized Linear Mixed Modelling. Fifty-nine different finfish disappeared from catches between the 1950s and 2014; 42 fish were identified to species level, two to genus, seven to family and eight to local name only. Five species occurring at all sites with the greatest number of fishers reporting zero catches were the green bumphead parrotfish (Bolbometopon muricatum), humphead wrasse (Cheilinus undulatus), African pompano (Alectis ciliaris), giant grouper (Epinephelus lanceolatus) and mangrove red snapper (Lutjanus argentimaculatus). Between the 1950s and 2014, the mean perceived CPUE of bumphead parrotfish declined by 88%, that of humphead wrasse by 82%, African pompano by 66%, giant grouper by 74% and mangrove red snapper by 64%. These declines were mainly associated with excess and uncontrolled fishing, fish life-history traits like maximum body size and socio-economic factors like access to market infrastructure and services, and overpopulation. The fishers’ knowledge is indicative of extirpations where evidence for these losses was otherwise lacking. Our models provide information as basis for area-based conservation and regional resource management particularly for the more vulnerable, once common, large, yet wide-ranging reef finfish species.