The political and legal issues of the West Philippine Sea are being discussed at length in the media these days.
This column takes a different view from the perspective of the environment and the marine resources (especially fisheries) of the South China Sea.
Some ideas came from our paper (Alcala and Encomienda, 2015) published in the journal National Security Review and copyrighted by the National Defense College of the Philippines.
Reclamation in the Spratlys, according to Prof. John McManus “constitute(s) the most rapid rate of permanent loss of coral reef in human history” as well as marine propagules.
The thousands of hectares of reclaimed coral reef cause siltation could kill marine larvae, including coral and fish larvae. A large number of fish larvae are normally transported to the Philippines via ocean currents, benefiting Palawan and western Luzon in terms of sustainable fisheries. Palawan will likely lose its primary role as the center of coral reef fisheries in the Philippines.
This is indicated by studies of the Joint Oceanographic & Marine Scientific Research Expedition (JOMSRE) participated in by the the Philippines and Vietnam from 1996 to 2007.
In the past, fish yields of the muro-ami fishing gear in the Spratlys (a gear which is super-efficient in harvesting coral reef fish and a destroyer of coral reefs) is estimated at 12 to 20 metric tons per year, the value of which is US$12 to 20 million per year.
This gear has been banned because of its destructive effects on coral reef ecosystems.
Added to this are the fishery yields of the Scarborough Shoal, which has not be quantified.
Aside from fisheries, the Spratlys (West Philippine Sea) used to abound in turtles, giant clams, and other useful invertebrates, but as the result of overexploitation, these resources have become rarer. The JOMSRE has documented this fact.
The Spratlys consists of shoals, atolls, low islands and marine waters at various depths to 4,000 meters. The atolls are very important structures, having various shapes, each one with a deep lagoon in the center.
Atolls store nutrients and fish and biodiversity propagules that are released to the open sea at periodic intervals. These propagules are then carried to various surrounding countries by ocean currents.
When they are disturbed by humans, they cease as centers of biodiversity, and all surrounding nations lose their benefits from atolls.
The South China Sea, part of which is the West Philippine Sea, benefits the Philippines tremendously. Our politicians should be aware of this fact, and should include the beneficial values of the West Philippine Sea in their assessment of its significance to the country.
This is the reason why we are in favour of temporarily suspending territorial claims, and establishing the concept of the Peace Park, which is defined by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) as “transboundary protected areas that are formally dedicated to the protection and maintenance of biological diversity, and of natural and associated cultural resources, and to the promotion of peace and cooperation.”
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Author’s email: suakcrem@yahoo.com
