The Tubbataha Reef Marine Park in Palawan Philippines covers 33,200 ha, including the North and South Reefs. It is a unique example of an atoll reef with a very high density of marine species; the North Islet serving as a nesting site for birds and marine turtles. The site is an excellent example of a pristine coral reef with a spectacular 100-m perpendicular wall, extensive lagoons and two coral islands.

GEOGRAPHICAL LOCATION Located in the middle of the Central Sulu Sea, 181 kilometers southeast of Puerto Princesa City, Palawan Province, in the Municipality of Cagayancillo. 8° 45'-9° 00'N, 119° 45'-120° 04'E

DATE AND HISTORY OF ESTABLISHMENT 11 August 1988. Established under Proclamation No. 306; also protected under Presidential Decree No. 705 (Forestry Reform Code). Tubbataha Reef Marine Park forms part of the Palawan Biosphere Reserve, which was internationally recognized under UNESCO's Man and the Biosphere Program in 1990. Tubbataha Reef Marine Park was inscribed on the World Heritage List in 1993.

AREA Tubbataha Reef Marine Park comprises 33,200ha, and the Palawan Biosphere Reserve, 1,150,000ha.

LAND TENURE Government

ALTITUDE Approximately two meters to 100m below sea-level.

PHYSICAL FEATURES Comprises the only two atolls in the Philippine archipelago, North and South Reef, separated by an 8km wide channel. North Reef is a large, oblong, continuous reef platform some 16km long and 4.5km wide, completely enclosing a sandy lagoon some 24m deep. The reef flat is shallow and emergent in some places at extreme low tide. The most prominent sub real feature is the North Islet which is a coralline sand cay (0.3ha), which serves as a nesting site for birds and marine turtles. Steep and often perpendicular walls extending to a depth of 40-50m are characterize the seaward face of the reef.

South Reef, a small, triangular-shaped reef about 1-2km wide, consisting, like the North Reef, of a shallow platform enclosing a sandy lagoon. South Islet, a coralline-sand cay of approximately 800 sq.m, is located on the southern tip of the reef, and is also used as a nesting site.

CLIMATE Tubbataha is exposed to both the south-west and north-east monsoons. Rough seas are experienced from July to October and from November to March during the north-east monsoon.

VEGETATION Four species of tree occur: Terminalia catappa, Leucaena leucocephala, Pisonia grandis and Argusia argentia. Two stands of coconut Cocos nucifera exist. Four species of grass, Melapodium divaricatum, Portulaca oleracea, Chloris inflata and Setagaria geniculata are found on both islands. In contrast, there is considerably more diversity in the marine flora, with 45 species of benthic macroalgae and extensive seagrass beds on the shallower parts of the reef and lagoon. The four dominant species are Thalassia hemprichii, Halophilia ovalis, Halodule uninervis and H. pinifolia (DENR, 1992).

FAUNA Forty six bird species have been recorded from the site (Jensen, 1991). North Islet has a colony of brown boobies Sula leucogaster and some red-footed boobies S. sula. South Islet has a variety of birds including brown boobies, red-footed boobies, common noddy Anous stolidus, sooty tern Sterna fuscata and crested tern S. bergii. Marine turtles nest on some of the beaches, including hawksbill turtle Eretmocheyls imbricata (CR) and green turtle Chelonia mydas (EN).

A very high diversity of fish has been recorded with 379 species in at least 40 families. Sightings of black-tip shark Carcharinus melanopterus, white-tip shark Triaenovon abesus, manta rays Mobula dibolus and eagle rays are common. Tridacnid calms such as crocus calm Tridacna crosea, giant clam T. gigas (VU), scaly calm T. squamosa (LR) and horse's hoof (Bear paw) clam Hippopus hippopus (LR) are found in some parts of the lagoon. A general checklist of fish species and macroinvertebrates is given in DENR (1992).

Several distinct physiographic zones may be discerned on the reefs. Forty-six coral general were recorded from the area in 1983. The deeper stretches of the steep drop-off show foliose or plate-like forms of Pachyseris, Leptoseris and Montipora at 20-30m depth. At 12-20m depth, massive Diploastrea, Platygyra and Porites are found. The reef edge is an Acropora zone with branching Montipora, Pocillopora, Porites and some faviids, and extends to a reef slope of similar composition. The reef flats consist mainly of A. hyacinthus, Pocillopora, Millepora and some faviids. Porites 'micro atolls' and branched Porites characterise the back-reef areas (NRMC, 1982). A species list is given in Pichon (1977).

CULTURAL HERITAGE No information

LOCAL HUMAN POPULATION There are no permanent inhabitants on the reefs, other than during the fishing season, when fishermen from Cagayancillo and other parts of the country establish temporary shelters. A wide range of fishing activities are carried out in the Sulu Sea surrounding the park, including traditional line fishing, commercial tuna trawling, spear fishing, offshore long lines and reef gleaning (PAWB, 1992).

VISITORS AND VISITOR FACILITIES Tubbataha, considered to be one of the top SCUBA destinations in the country, is visited by approximately 1500 national and international divers between March and June.

SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH AND FACILITIES Extensive surveys were carried out in 1982 (NRMC, 1982) to assess the suitability of the site as a marine reserve. White (1984) studied five sites on Tubbataha in 1984; data given by Palaganas and White (1989) indicate a reduction in coral cover (mean 24% decline) and chaetotondid diversity (mean 28% decline) in the same five sites. However, recent surveys (White and Calumpong, 1992) have been conducted to determine reef quality, substrate cover, fish diversity and abundance, presence of large marine fauna, and to recommend management activities. In general, these surveys revealed that the reefs have benefited from two years of protective management, with improved cover and richness of indicator species. Nevertheless, management is not preventing all destructive fishing. A general account is given in UNEP/IUCN (1984) and a bibliography is given in Palaganas and White (1989).

CONSERVATION VALUE Tubbataha comprises a near pristine coral reef with a 100m perpendicular wall, an almost undisturbed reef crest and reef edge, extensive lagoons with sea grass beds and coral beds, and two coral islands. It is the most biologically diverse coral reef system in the Philippines, and is of great importance for the sustenance of fisheries (Arquiza, 1990).

CONSERVATION MANAGEMENT A draft master plan and management program for the park was drafted in 1991, the final version being approved in June 1992 (Anon, 1991). The finalized Master Plan for Tubbataha Reefs is scheduled for 31 March 1997 (UNESCO, 1997) The principal goals for long term management are resource protection and management, survey and investigation and community development and management focusing on the municipality of Cagayancillo. Patrolling and surveillance is undertaken by the Tubbataha Foundation (TF), a non-governmental consortium. Commercial fishing, spear fishing and coral gathering is illegal under the provisions of Proclamation No. 306. Much of the damage to Tubbataha stems from the migration of subsistence fishermen from Cagayancillo, where stocks have been overexploited, as well as foreign fishing operations and large number of diving tours. According to UNESCO (1997), individuals from the Marine Sciences Research Institute of the Philippines, the Protected Areas and Wildlife Bureau of the Department for the Environment and Natural Resources, and the UNESCO National Commission are implementing a project called Protection and Information and Education Campaign for the Conservation of Tubbataha Reef Marine Park. This aims to train local people to enhance their participation in active conservation of the reef, and to explore possibilities for developing community based tourism ventures under alternative livelihood ventures.

MANAGEMENT CONSTRAINTS Tubbataha has remained relatively pristine due to its inaccessibility and its isolation from population centers. However, up to 1991 there have been increasing disturbances from blast fishing, large scale collection of sea bird and marine turtle eggs, giant clams and other marine resources, spear fishing, collection of aquarium fish and disturbances to wildlife (DENR, 1992). This has now largely been stopped. A commercial operation to establish an extensive seaweed farming operation with up to 24,000 people located on the islands has been dismantled after being in illegal operation for six months. The protection of the reefs directly affects people from the Cagayancillo Municipality, and UNESCO (1997) reports that in the past there has been resentment amongst local people for not being included in conservation initiatives.

STAFF Two Coast Guard personnel, and a lighthouse keeper, are occasionally stationed at the lighthouse on South Islet (DENR, 1992). The park is regularly patrolled by the TF boat.