June 8 is Blog Action Day to save Philippine coral reefs

Sunday, 29 May 2011 14:25 Maui A. Hermitanio

Filipino netizens are using the the power of the internet and social media to stop the plunder of our marine resources.

Save the Philippine Seas network called on all Filipino bloggers, Tumblr and Posterous users, Tweeps, Plurkers and all netizens to join the June 8 International Blog Action Day to save our seas and coral reefs.

Users are urged to participate through the following actions:

Tweet, Plurk, or post to spread the word about this event: Share or repost this announcement.
Use the Twitter hashtag #reefwatchPH.
Spread the savephilippineseas.com URL.
Repost and share the official campaign badge
On June 8, join the Blog Action Day from your favorite social media channels (blog, Tumblr, Posterous, Twitter, Plurk, Facebook, etc.)

Use of other creative ways to convey the message against marine destruction is also encouraged. Bloggers can send open letters to officials and companies; post photo essays about favorite beaches or dive spots; design and share mini-posters, posters and drawings; post about why kids ought to have the chance to see and enjoy our coral reefs and seas; post why harvesting and peddling corals is bad for the environment and is bad business; propose on how to protect or clean up our seas; and send emails to Senators, congressmen, Environment secretary Ramon Jesus Paje, and even President Benigno Simeon Aquino III to demand action.

Damaged reef fives times the size of Manila

According to Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) director of Protected Areas and Wildlife Bureau Theresa Mondita Lim, the area of coral reef damaged by poachers could reach “almost five times the size” of Manila and not just twice the size of it as earlier reports stated.

This month, the Bureau of Customs (BoC) confiscated 158 stuffed turtles and 124,000 pieces of black corals with a market value of US80,000 (P35-milllion) at the Port of Manila. The coral reefs were reportedly poached off the pristine waters of Moro Gulf and Sulu Sea off the main southern island of Mindanao.

The cargoes contained “sea fans,” specie of hard, stony corals belonging to the order “Antipatharia” or black coral; while the stuffed turtles and shells vary in sizes. Black corals are being exported for use in semi-precious and decorative jewelries.

The contraband were misdeclared as "rubber" and hidden inside two huge containers that had been shipped from South Cotabato under the name of consignee Exequiel Navarro.

The World Wildlife Fund estimates that the “economic cost over a 25-year period of destroying one kilometer of coral reef is somewhere” between USD137,000 and USD1,200,000. Corals grow only one centimeter every month.

Navarro, a wildlife trader, and others involved in the poaching and smuggling attempt will be charged for violating the Wildlife Act and the Fisheries Code of 1998, which bans gathering and selling corals. Violators will face imprisonment from six months to two years and a fine from P2,000 to P20,000.

DENR's initial estimate indicated that the plundered coral reefs was twice the area of Manila but an expert from the California Academy of Sciences estimated that the area damaged or destroyed could reach up to 190.8 square kilometers, or five times Manila’s land area of 38.55 sq km, according to an Inquirer.net report. Gary Williams, a world-renowned expert on corals from CAS is now in the country conducting a survey in Anilao, Batangas.

Presidential spokesperson Edwin Lacierda said the Philippine Navy and Coast Guard would step up patrols to protect the nation's coastline from such plunder as they acquired more modern vessels. “It is our duty to safeguard these areas," he said in a statement.