Author : Ocampo, Josefina Manuel

Summary : The live corals (hard and soft corals) was found to be in good condition in Pulong Bato (inside MPA) while live corals in San Agapito (outside MPA) were in fair condition. The percentage cover of soft coral was significantly higher inside the MPA. Similarly, fish abundance and fish biomass was 5 times and 8 times higher inside the MPA than outside, respectively. These results show that the establishment of MPA significantly contributed to the protection of reef fish. The household perception survey conducted reveals that the community perceives improvements in the coral condition and fish catch after the declaration of MPA. However, the encroachment problem was identified as a probable reason why high-valued fish were rarely observed inside the MPA. The results of the study point to the need for management to focus on the enforcement of rules and regulations inside the MPA for effective conservation of natural resources.