The Palawan Archipelago is known as the Philippines' last ecological frontier. Its exceptional marine biodiversity and productive coastal habitats have earned it designation as a UNESCO Man and Biosphere Reserve. The region's coastal and marine ecosystems include coral reefs with 379 species of corals, more than 1,000 marine fish species, seagrass meadows with 13 species, and mangrove forests with 31 species. Palawan is part of the 50 Reefs Initiative, a portfolio of fifty coral reefs identified as having the potential to survive the impacts of climate change and aid in repopulating neighbouring reefs over time. Northeast Palawan is also part of the Coral Triangle - a geographical region with unmatched reef fish and marine life diversity.
The waters surrounding Northeast Palawan serve as a sanctuary for numerous threatened marine species, including marine turtles, dugongs, and whale sharks. Palawan also contributes significantly to the high degree of biodiversity and endemism in the Philippines. Its unique geological origins and position as a barrier between the Sulu Sea and the West Philippine Sea have led to distinct marine biodiversity patterns, with the Sulu Sea exhibiting slightly higher coral cover and reef fish diversity.
Covering some 44,500 hectares, the mangrove forests in Palawan are the most extensive in the Philippines. Acting as critical carbon sinks, they can absorb 3-4 times more carbon dioxide per hectare than terrestrial forests. They also serve as vital nesting and breeding grounds for various species, provide protection against tidal waves, and contribute to the overall health of coastal and marine environments. Unfortunately, more than half of the mangroves in the Philippines have been lost since 1990, primarily due to climate change and deforestation. This makes protection and restoration measures essential.
Despite its relatively low population density, the Palawan Archipelago faces a decline in biodiversity due to human activities. Illegal fishing techniques, such as using explosives and poison, overfishing, poaching within MPAs and illegal trading in live reef fish all represent significant threats, as do urbanisation, mining, water quality deterioration and unsustainable tourism practices. Our day-to-day management aims to protect Northeast Palawan's precious marine ecosystems and ensure their resilience and continued productivity in the face of these challenges.
Northeast Palawan's strategic location and protected coastal habitats make it one of the Philippines' top producers of fish and fishery products. This abundance of commercially important fish species contributes to food security, community resilience, and the sustainability of the local economy through additional income sources and livelihood opportunities. Despite these efforts, Northeast Palawan has experienced a decline in fish production in recent years due to overfishing, the use of illegal and highly destructive fishing techniques, and mangrove cutting. This highlights the importance of protecting the local marine ecosystem, promoting sustainable fishing practices, and helping fisher community members provide for their families.
Ha MPA network with enhanced biodiversity protection and control of destructive and unsustainable fishing activities
Regional MPAs under management
Ha of coral reef ecosystem being protected
Ha of mangroves protect and partially restored
Threatened species being protected
Artisanal fisher livelihoods being enhanced
Jobs created for MPA management staff
hours of joint patrols conducted with authorities
Reef-positive businesses planned/in development in community-based aquaculture, sustainable fisheries and ecotourism
Our mission focuses on boosting the health and resilience of marine ecosystems while enhancing local livelihoods within and around the conservation area. This initiative aligns with the visions of the Local Government Units (LGUs) of Araceli, Dumaran, El Nido and Roxas, and the Provincial Government of Palawan; the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR); the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG); and the PNP-Maritime Police. We collaborate to reduce destructive practices, implement conservation strategies, and contribute to a Blue Economy rooted in sustainable ecotourism, blue carbon, and community-based aquaculture.
By working together with local fishing communities, we support marine biodiversity regeneration and offer sustainable protein and income sources for coastal households. Healthier marine ecosystems also offer better protection against coastal flooding, mitigate beach erosion, and enable viable ecotourism enterprises.
We measure our impacts using five socio-ecological Key Performance Indicators (KPIs):
Coral reef ecosystems protected
Avoided emissions of CO2
Recovery of species from overfishing and illegal destructive fishing
Enhanced nutrition and incomes for coastal fishers
Job creation in the MPAs and reef-positive enterprises
In late 2023, the Local Government Unit of Araceli signed agreements with Blue Alliance for the delegated management of the Northeast Palawan MPA network, comprising 23 MPAs and around 247,400 ha of municipal waters. In 2024, the municipalities of Roxas, El Nido, Dumaran, signed a similar agreement, adding 40 more MPAs and an additional 546,137 ha of municipal waters.
In the Philippines, Local Government Units (LGUs) have mandates for the management of their municipal waters. Each agreement runs for 10 years (renewable) and defines a clear distribution of roles and obligations in day-to-day MPA management. With support from UNDP Philippines, this approach has been officially endorsed by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources - a national government agency with overall mandates over the environment - and received the support of the Provincial Government of Palawan.
Blue Alliance’s activities are approved by partner LGUs and guided by a Stakeholder Advisory Committee (SAC) at MPA network level. As a mechanism of participation in the planning, management, and monitoring of the management and administration of MPAs, the SAC is comprised of representatives from government agencies and experts from academia and other organisations. WWF Philippines, which supported the establishment of the NE Palawan MPA network, also plays a crucial role on our SAC.
The partnership between the Local Government Units of Palawan goes beyond mere conservation and protection as it embodies building a Blue Economy in and around the Marine Protected Area or marine Key Biodiversity Areas (mKBAs). Blue Alliance supports culturally appropriate aquaculture projects and income-generating activities for MPAs and People’s Organisations. It promotes sustainable practices, such as crab and sea cucumber hatcheries, and raises public awareness through environmental education campaigns. Blue Alliance also aids compliance by providing enforcement assets, fuel subsidies, and additional Bantay Dagat personnel. It conducts biophysical assessments of MPAs to guide the formulation of Management Plans, serving as blueprints for conservation actions.
– Governments of Araceli, Roxas, and El Nido
By collaborating with the local communities and their Barangay (the smallest administrative unit in the Philippines) People’s Organisations, we are contributing to a more sustainable future for Northeast Palawan. We advocate for sustainable fishing practices, develop livelihoods, and support reef-positive businesses within and around the MPAs. Our on-the-ground management team actively monitors and protects natural resources through improved compliance and enforcement measures, long-term community development programmes and conservation activities, all based on science-driven approaches.
We actively combat destructive, non-selective, and illegal fishing practices. Our main intervention tools include enhanced 24/7/365 surveillance programmes conducted with authorities and local community wardens (Bantay Dagat), long-term community engagement to raise awareness, and creating alternative livelihoods through our Blue Economy reef-positive businesses.
We work to ensure sustainable fishing efforts in Palawan, thereby benefiting local communities and future generations. Control is maintained in both no-take sanctuary zones and sustainable fishery areas through joint patrols with authorities and Bantay Dagats, or municipal community fisheries wardens. Additionally, we develop community-based aquaculture facilities to combat the decline of specific overexploited species such as mangrove crabs.
We are dedicated to safeguarding all marine fauna, but critically endangered hawksbill sea turtles and vulnerable green and olive ridley sea turtles are among our priorities in Palawan. We focus on preserving critical habitats such as nesting sites, reducing poaching, and raising awareness to ensure their survival.
We aim to control illegal fishing practices, promote the use of sustainable fishing gear, and educate local fishers on the safe release of bycatch. We are confident that our efforts help conserve over 30 IUCN-listed threatened species in Palawan.
We strive to eliminate destructive fishing practices and promote coral reef protection through marine conservation education for students, residents, and visitors.
Mangrove forests are vital carbon sinks that mitigate climate change. Our Blue Economy initiatives focus on mangrove conservation and restoration through monitoring activities and developing businesses that rely on healthy mangrove ecosystems. We also drive and support educational programmes and campaigns.
We generate direct employment by hiring fishers as MPA staff and supporting reef-positive businesses like ecotourism and community-based aquaculture. We enhance livelihoods for coastal households by supporting small and medium enterprises within the Blue Economy and providing training programmes, with a particular focus on empowering women and girls.
Poverty leads directly to unsustainable fishing, pollution, and mangrove clearing. We address this by creating jobs in MPAs and reef-positive businesses, empowering communities through training and mentoring, and providing microfinance grants to help launch new businesses. Training opportunities range from swimming lessons and dive certifications to aquaculture and farming techniques.
Through our ecotourism division and government partnerships, we train local dive industry stakeholders in the internationally recognised “Green Fins” code of conduct for responsible diving and snorkelling. We are also planning to introduce conscious travel experiences and educational programmes like our BlueTalks.
We work towards improving coastal and marine ecosystem health so that they can continue to act as effective carbon sinks, protect communities from extreme weather, and contribute to climate change mitigation.
By improving enforcement against illegal activities, engaging communities, and working with stakeholders, we help develop responsible mitigation solutions.
The coastal waters of northeastern Palawan are not only vital for the livelihoods of coastal dwellers but also serve as their primary fishing grounds and contribute to the tourism industry, creating economic opportunities for the region. Hence, protecting, maintaining, and enhancing the ecological viability of these waters is essential for ensuring sustainable economic opportunities for the area.
– Russel Climaco, MPA coordinator Blue Alliance Philippines in Northeast Palawan
We operate in four key, interconnected areas and consistently measure and report our progress. These are conservation and science, community development, compliance, and sustainable revenue generation.
We will monitor fish and iconic species populations, coral reefs, and associated ecosystems to:
Coral reef biophysical assessments are conducted to better assess the success of MPAs in protecting marine biodiversity. In addition to monitoring changes in reef condition and fish abundance, we carry out commercial fish surveys both inside and outside MPAs, aimed at determining if fish productivity is increasing. Complementing these activities is our experimental CPUE (catch per unit effort) campaign with local fishers, who provide standardised information on their catches at various distances from the MPAs. Such data helps us evaluate whether the MPAs are also improving adjacent fishing grounds and benefitting neighbouring fishing communities. In parallel, fish catches are monitored through fish landing surveys and regular interviews with fishers, to determine if increased numbers of fish are making it to market and to gather indicators of fishing effort and new gear usage. Fish landings also help us assess bycatch of threatened species.
We implement direct conservation programmes in and around our MPAs:
Community efforts led by Blue Alliance have saved coral reefs from the crown-of-thorns sea star (COTS) outbreak. COTS is a natural predator of hard corals. However, their overpopulation can cause detrimental impacts on the reefs.
Preserving critical habitats, reduce poaching, and raise awareness to ensure their survival.
Controlling destructive and illegal fishing practices, recommending and promoting sustainable fishing gears and methods, and educating local fishing communities in the safe release of bycatch.
With the support of our funders, we are exploring innovative monitoring methods that provide additional insights. In Palawan, we collaborate with local universities and other science-based organisations, such as the Western Philippines University, SHARK-MED, Large Marine Vertebrates Research Institute Philippines (LAMAVE), and the Palawan Biodiversity Conservation Advocates (PBCAI). Examples include:
BRUVS attract and record fish for marine research. BRUVS enable us to detect shy species like sharks that may not be observed during SCUBA surveys. Identifying the species present in our MPAs and their locations is crucial for developing effective management and conservation strategies.
Using environmental eDNA (the genetic material present in water samples) to identify the presence of marine species in our waters. Species diversity is an important indicator of ecosystem health and this method allows us to detect which species live in our waters – even if we never see them.
In the future, our work will be complemented by reports from our Citizen Science programme.
Key scientific programmes and assessments include:
Each species in our MPAs plays a vital role in maintaining the ecological balance and health of its habitat. Recognising the interconnectedness of marine life and the benefits of intact marine ecosystems is crucial. On our dedicated marine wildlife page, you can learn about the critical roles of over 50 selected marine species found in our MPAs, the pressures they face, and the conservation efforts needed to protect them.
Our community development programmes are typically connected to our reef-positive businesses. We collaborate with the Local Government Units in Palawan to identify and create revenue models within the Blue Economy that increase the long-term resilience of marine ecosystems and coastal communities.
Key planned community development programmes include:
As the official co-management entity, our role will be to enhance compliance with applicable legislation and regulations through surveillance and long-term community engagement programmes. A key management intervention will focus on reducing unsustainable fishing through joint patrols with local law enforcement, military authorities, community sea wardens, and our own rangers.
In the Philippines, municipal fisheries enforcement is primarily conducted by community sea wardens, known as Bantay Dagat (BDs). In coordination with local municipalities, we will support the BDs with performance-based incentives. The top-performing BDs will be selected to become full-time Blue Alliance rangers or Blue Alliance Key Ocean Defenders (BAKODs). In addition to this, we will also hire and train personnel from outside the BD to be part of our BAKOD team.
The BAKODs and BDs will focus on preventing illegal activities, particularly those related to fishing. They will also support the removal of Crown of Thorns Starfish (CoTS), the installation of demarcation markers, and the biophysical monitoring of coral and reef fish. Eventually, MPA boundaries will be marked with highly visible, color-coded buoys to identify tourism, buffer, and no-take zones. Our rangers will patrol to prevent fishing in no-take zones, protecting these areas from human activities to benefit marine biodiversity and local fishing communities. They will also deter illegal fishing activities, and the use of unregistered boats in municipal waters.
In collaboration with local and national government authorities, we will enable our BAKOD and BD teams to enforce protocols during apprehensions for MPA and fisheries law violations, as well as training them in anti-poaching techniques. We are developing new enforcement strategies to improve surveillance routes for daily seaborne patrols using our patrol vessels and foot patrols. The team will also be trained to use new equipment, such as night vision monoculars and GPS.
We are further innovating our monitoring and compliance efforts with EarthRanger. This digital tool will allow our BAKODs and BDs to provide real-time updates on MPA and fishery law violations, marine wildlife sightings or strandings, and other information relevant to our enforcement and conservation efforts.
Key compliance support and programmes include:
Reef-positive businesses are solutions that reduce specific drivers of coral reef ecosystem degradation while addressing the funding gaps that have historically hindered effective MPA management by providing financial support. Blue Alliance Northeast Palawan plans to become self-sustaining by developing a variety of reef-positive businesses in and around the conservation area, within the Blue Economy sectors.
These sustainable enterprises will enhance the livelihoods of coastal communities, mitigate threats to marine biodiversity, and generate revenue streams that can be directly reinvested into the MPAs. Additionally, we will offer training for community members who wish to participate.
Our potential pipeline of reef-positive businesses includes:
With its vibrant coral reefs teeming with marine life, an undulating coastline adorned with mangroves and secluded beaches, and framed by lush tropical forests, Palawan is a premier destination for diving tourism. Through BlueWild EcoVentures, our ecotourism division, we aim to sustainably support MPAs by connecting people with the ocean through responsible travel experiences. Our goal is to increase awareness and engagement regarding the importance of the Northeast Palawan MPAs by showcasing their vital role in marine conservation. We will highlight the exceptional marine travel and leisure experiences they provide, and work with travellers and ecotourism partners to encourage meaningful contributions.
Sea Cucumbers and Mangrove Crabs
We will develop mangrove crab and sea cucumber aquaculture projects to generate sustainable incomes for reinvestment into MPAs and support local communities through job creation. The hatchery and grow-out culture for mangrove crabs and sea cucumbers will also prevent the overexploitation of wild stocks and help maintain ecosystem integrity. We collaborate closely with the Philippine Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources.
Given the Philippines' extreme vulnerability to climate change impacts, conserving mangrove ecosystems is crucial for threat mitigation and adaptation. We are exploring the sale of blue carbon credits through a partnership with the Uba Sustainability Institute. Additionally, we are investigating the use of our aquaculture sites for aquasilviculture—integrating mangroves into fishponds with mangrove crabs and other species as part of our blue carbon programme.
We plan develop a medium-scale fish processing and trading company specialising in high-quality fish products, implementing sustainable fishing practices around the MPAs and increasing revenues for coastal fishers. The initial focus is on grouper and pelagic species. This business is pioneering seafood traceability, empowering consumers to trace their seafood from source to plate. The business also reduces waste through a robust cold chain system. The company sells to high-end national and international clients.
The BAKOD teams support the Bantay Dagat (Community Fish Wardens or BDs) in enforcing fishery and MPA laws, ensuring sustainable fishing across 794,000 hectares of MPAs in Northeast Palawan.
Become a Blue Alliance partner and work with us to regenerate coral reef biodiversity and empower the lives of local communities. Would you like to know more? Mail us at connect@bluealliance.earth
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