PUERTO PRINCESA CITY, Palawan (PIA) — The Australian Institute for Marine Sciences (AIMS) donated reef scanning equipment to the Palawan Council for Sustainable Development (PCSD) with the aim of helping fast-track the assessment of Palawan’s marine environment and the analysis of coral reef status.
Dr. Britta Schaffelke, manager of the international partnership at AIMS, said that the provided equipment will help in making data-based decisions for coral reef conservation and marine analysis in Palawan.
The donation includes reef scanning equipment called Reef Scan Transom, a device that can be attached to a boat to take underwater images without divers. Images will be transferred to Reef Cloud for analysis and data visualization. There are also underwater cameras and handheld GPS units provided.
“What you cannot measure, you cannot manage. Decisions for coral reef conservation and management need to be based on data and knowledge—AIMS is using these technologies now for our own coral reef monitoring in Australia, and we are keen to share our knowledge and expertise with other countries,” she said.
Dr. Britta Schaffelke, manager of the international partnership at AIMS, explains the importance of providing equipment to PCSD. (Photo by Rachel Ganancial)
The economic worth of fishing and tourism on Philippine reefs was estimated at US $4 billion annually in 2018, she added. Aside from climate change, coral reefs are also pressured by water pollution, overfishing, destructive fishing practices, ship grounding, coastal development and construction activities.
Claire Birks of the Australian Government Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade said Australia and the Philippines mutually understand the marine environment as one of their most important assets.
The Australian government also cooperates in combating illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing (IUUF), strengthening coast guard capabilities, and training on the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea.
“Our maritime cooperation is an important part of our new strategic partnership, and we look forward to continuing to deepen our practical engagement in Palawan with PCSD and work together to address shared challenges facing our marine environment,” she said.
The partnership of the Australian Government with PCSD includes coral reef monitoring through AIMS, marine spatial mapping, and marine environmental protection assistance with Geoscience Australia.
The donation includes reef scanning equipment called Reef Scan Transom, a device that can be attached to a boat to take underwater images without divers. (Photo by Rachel Ganancial)
Glenda Cadigal, PCSD district manager of the southern district and co-project lead of Marine Resource Initiative, said that the donated equipment will help them do the assessment without deploying their divers, particularly in challenging areas.
“This equipment will help us fast track ang ating assessment activities in Palawan kasi we have limited funds, limited divers, and limited technical capabilities. With the use of this equipment, mas mabilis siya magagawa with limited time and ‘yong hard-to-reach areas, especially those na medyo malalim or hindi favorable ang weather condition,” she said.
The trained divers of PCSD, along with its partners, are scheduled to assess the marine environment using Reef Scan Transom by the last week of October. Another unit of Reef Scan Transom is expected to arrive in the first quarter of 2024.
There are candidate sites in southern Palawan for the initial use of the equipment, she added. It will also be helpful in crocodile-infested areas like Balabac, which are not suitable for the deployment of divers. Some of the PCSD’s technical staff will also have their training in Townsville, Australia, for the analysis of images collected by Reef Scan.
The equipment can also help document corals that can withstand coral bleaching, which is an effect of sea level rise due to climate change. Cadigal said studies to be produced out of Reef Scan images are a welcome innovation, as Palawan is not immune to this phenomenon.
AIMS also includes underwater cameras and handheld GPS units in its donation to PCSD. (Photo by Rachel Ganancial)
It will be used in the entire province, including the Sulu Sea and the western side of Palawan. It will also help to see the condition of the affected reef environment due to the presence of crown-of-thorns starfish, which causes coral bleaching.
Governor Victorino Dennis Socrates, PCSD chair, accepted the equipment on behalf of the Philippine government and expressed gratitude for the possible contribution of the equipment to Palawan’s marine environment. (RPG/PIA MIMAROPA – Palawan)
