Location

Formation

The coral atolls of Tubbataha and Jessie Beazley began to form thousands of years ago as fringing reefs of volcanic islands along the Cagayan Ridge. Over millennia - as the volcanoes became extinct and the islands sunk into the ocean depths - only the corals remained, as they continued to grow upwards towards the sunlight.

History

Tubbataha is well known to fishermen of the southern Philippines but until the late 1970s, Cagayanons were the primary users of the reefs' resources. During the summer, they would make fishing trips to Tubbataha in fleets of traditional wooden sailboats.

Tubbataha's isolation and its susceptibility to harsh weather once protected it from over-exploitation. But by the 1980s, fishermen from other parts of the Philippines started visiting Tubbataha in motorized boats, many using destructive fishing techniques to maximize their catch.

In 1988 - in response to a vigorous campaign by Philippine scuba divers and environmentalists alike - President Corazon Aquino declared Tubbataha a National Marine Park.

Biodiversity

After more than twenty years of conservation efforts, Tubbataha Reefs Natural Park is home to no less than:

• 483 species of fish
• 396 species of corals (about half of all coral species in the world)
• 44 species of birds
• 9 species of dolphins & whales
• Nesting Hawksbill & Green sea turtles

The park contains roughly 10,000 hectares of coral reef, lying at the heart of the coral triangle - the centre of global marine biodiversity.

Larvael Dispersal

It is now known that Jessie Beazley and Tubbataha Reefs are sources of coral and fish larvae, seeding the greater Sulu Sea. This is of huge significance, since the Philippines - the second largest archipelago in the world - relies heavily on its marine resources for livelihood and food.

Management

The Tubbataha Protected Area Management Board (TPAMB) is the multi-sector body that formulates policies for Tubbataha. Day-to-day park management is carried out by the Tubbataha Management Office (TMO), based in Puerto Princesa City.

References

• Ledesma, Micaela C et al., 2006, 'The status of benthic and fish communities in Tubbataha Reef National Marine Park in the last 10 years (1997 to 2006)
• Dygico, Marivel, 2006, 'Tubbataha Reefs - A Marine Protected Area that Works', WWF Philippines
• Jensen A. E., 2005, 'Monitoring and Inventory of the Seabirds of TRNMP, Cagayancillo, Palawan, Philippines', Unpublished. A study commissioned by the TPAMB.
• Acquino, T., 2004
• Dygico, Marivel, 2006, 'Tubbataha Reefs - A Marine Protected Area that Works', WWF Philippines
• Ledesma, Micaela C et al., 2006, 'The status of benthic and fish communities in Tubbataha Reef National Marine Park in the last 10 years (1997 to 2006)'

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