Minantaw: Beauty beneath the sea
Located three kilometers northeast of Caubian Islands, the Minantaw Marine Park and Sanctuary (MMPS) is the first multi-use and largest of its kind in the Philippines.
Caubian Barangay Captain Romeo O. Matbagon said the sanctuary is also part of a very rare reef called Danajon Double Barrier Reef or Danajon Bank.
The sanctuary covers 214.6 hectares and the area is divided into the following zones: 50 hectares of strictly no fishing area or no take area; 55 hectares of ecological farming; 62 hectares of regulated fishing; 37 hectares of ecologically sustainable grounds.
It forms part of Danajon Bank, one of six double-barrier reefs in the world and the only one in Southeast Asia. Marine biologists describe it as the main source of biodiversity in the region.
Increase in population
The creation of MMPS which is aimed at conserving and restoring the area’s biodiversity was made possible through Chevron Philippines Incorporated (CPI) and with the help of Project Seahorse Foundation (PSF), Nagkahiusang Mananagat sa Caubian (NAMACA) and the local government unit of Lapu-Lapu City.
Since the area was declared a sanctuary, local fishers have noticed an increase in the population of marine creatures like squid, crabs, rabbitfish, seaweeds, lukot and urok. A regrowth of the coral population that was decimated through illegal activities like dynamite fishing has also been observed.
This progress can be attributed to the education and organizing activities of Project Seahorse, which conducts seminars and workshops among local fishermen and monitors the conditions of the marine sanctuary biophysically. Their efforts are aimed at ensuring the sustainability of the park and the protected area.
As SK officer of Caubian, this writer is closely involved in the MMPS project.
Aside from the diverse sea creatures, there is also a blue hole near the sanctuary. It is an underwater sinkhole also referred to as a vertical cave with an opening that ranges from 11m to 17m.
Project Seahorse
Barangay captain Matbagon said divers were unable to measure the depth of the hole because their measuring tape was only up to 214 feet.
They also told him that the water at the bottom of the blue hole is very cold. A group of seahorse living in the vicinity of the cave’s entrance was also discovered.
Project Seahorse, in coordination with Lapu-Lapu City Hall, allows diving and tours at the sanctuary for certain fees.
A lot of positive things resulted from the creation of the sanctuary.
With the improvement in the health of the double-barrier reef, according to the barangay official, the lives of Caubian villagers have changed.
Caubian production of seaweeds, which are used to supply Cebu’s seaweeds industry, has gone up. Barangay fishers also also now able to meet the crab requirement of resorts in nearby island Olango and mainland Lapu-Lapu.
Popular with visitors
Minantaw Marine Park and Sanctuary is also becoming popular with visitors from different areas of Cebu, mostly from the cities of Mandaue and Lapu-Lapu.
The good thing about increasing awareness of the sanctuary is helping people understand how to and save Cebu’s marine life.
As the Chevron-Project Seahorse partnership for marine conservation, MMPS has garnered several local and international awards, including Most Promising CSR Award, Anvil Award of Excellence, Asean Champions of Biodiversity Awards, and Commendation Award in the most-coveted Corporate Responsibility Awards.
The result of this project gamered several local and international awards as the Chevron-Project Seahorse partnership for marine conservation. Namely: Most Promising CSR Award, Anvil Award of Excellence, Asean Champions of Biodiversity Awards, and the Commendation Award in the most-coveted Corporate Responsibility.
Get updates about MMPS; like it on Facebook at the MMPS and Caubian Island Facebook pages.
This article can also be found at Mactan Post website.
