Why Tubbataha Reef is a World Heritage site

Tubbataha Reef off remote Cagayancillo Island in Palawan was the first natural site from the Philippines inscribed on the Unesco World Heritage list in 1993, an inscription so appropriate for an archipelago like the Philippines where the sea is the principal life-giving force, the center of people’s lives.

 

Why is Tubbataha of World Heritage quality?

The Unesco World Heritage Committee that reviews all nominations to the World Heritage list says that it is one of the most outstanding coral reefs in the region, with one of the densest groupings of coral and marine life in the world.

It further affirms that in the 33,200 hectares of the Tubbataha Reef Marine Park is seen a unique example of an atoll reef with a very high density of marine species.

The site is an excellent example of a pristine coral reef with a spectacular 100-meter perpendicular wall encrusted with marine life. Also, it has extensive lagoons and two coral islands.

The North Reef is a nesting site for birds and marine turtles.

Tubbataha Reef is within a vast national park and marine sanctuary that lies in the middle of the Sulu Sea, 150 km away from Puerto Princesa City. It takes a 12-hour boat ride to get there.

The reef harbors a diversity of marine life greater than any other such area in the world.

No wonder it is a desirable diving location. Its inaccessibility makes site maintenance extremely difficult.

However, inaccessibility could also be an asset to Tubbataha since its remote location protects the site by limiting the pressure on the environment caused by more divers than the carrying capacity of Tubbataha can handle.

Cycle preserved

Tubbataha’s existence has been turbulent.

Although fishermen exploited the reefs, the monsoons prevented fishing for nine months, allowing marine life and the reef time to regenerate. Despite human destruction, the cycle of nature preserved Tubbataha.

Although legislation protecting Tubbataha was in place as early as the 1980s, dynamite fishing and other destructive fishing methods severely damaged the cover of living coral to the point that in 1989 a study showed that the coral in the outer reefs had decreased by 25 percent.

Fishermen from southern and central Philippines once fished with absolutely no regard of the severe impact of their methods on the marine life, but now, thanks to the constant and determined vigilance of Tubbataha authorities, they must follow strict controls.

It was once severely threatened by the establishment of a large seaweed farm in one of the islets in its vicinity, taking advantage of the sheltered reefs of its atoll system. The Department of the Environment and Natural Resources and Tubbataha Foundation successfully fought to eliminate the threats.

Coral reef areas are vital in sustaining the economic, marine and ecological balance of the Philippines.

Most fish and invertebrate larvae that originate in Tubbataha Reef are believed to migrate with the prevailing currents to the eastern side of Palawan and to the entire Sulu Sea. They eventually provide the fish catch that sustains the life of the people.

Complex links

Since the Philippine nation benefits from the preservation of its environment, it is therefore crucial to sustain Tubbataha Reef in as close to its pristine state as possible.

Today the reef is professionally managed, fishing is finally controlled, and tourism is controlled as well.

The global ecological system is linked in a very complex manner and Tubbataha is one of these links that contribute to the ecological health of the world.

Considering that 75 percent or more of the coral reefs in the Philippines are in varying stages of decline, Tubbataha stands out as one of the best managed and conserved marine sanctuaries in the country, an example worth emulating.

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