On June 27-29, 2011, leading international and Filipino scientists and resource managers will meet in Cebu City to address how to best to protect the Philippines’ internationally significant waters against rampant over exploitation. Organized by Project Seahorse Foundation (PSF), the Marine Protected Area (MPA) Workshop will draw on the expertise of over 40 academics and leaders from government, business, and the NGO sector to transfer knowledge to the people.
Support from PSF has enabled local communities to establish 33 MPAs in the central Philippines. These no-take reserves act as sanctuaries where fish populations and habitats can flourish, increasing marine resources in the long run. PSF and Project Seahorse have developed conservation tools to make the management of coastal marine resources more effective, which will be shared and refined at the MPA Workshop.
The national government of the Philippines has mandated the protection of 15 per cent of the country’s coastal waters. “Our job is to help make that mandate a reality,” says Assoc. Prof. Amanda Vincent, director of Project Seahorse internationally. “We need to look after marine resources for the long run if we want to achieve food security.”
For more information, visit http://www.projectseahorse.org/node/400/
