RAMOS, D.A.E.., ARAGONES, L.V., and ROLLON, R.N.

(2015)

Article review presented by Mark Ariel D. Malto, MS in Fisheries Technology for the
subject Fishery Resources Management at Bicol University-Tabaco Campus
Philippines
Marine hotspot (Allen, 2008)
12th global capture fisheries(FAO, 2014)
REEF
SYSTEMS
No published studies on studies
on coastal habitat connectivity in
Visayas

Mantalip Reef System in Central

Visayas is the largest offshore
coral reef area in the Province of
Negros oriental.
1. Fisheries connectivity among
mangrove, seagrass and coral reef
habitats of Mantalip system
through community structure
characterization
2. Implications of these results on
the management of its artisanal
fisheries.
1. Study Site
Mantalip Reef System
- 2 km central lagoon
- 32.92 m deep lagoon
- Semi-circular series of
coral reefs and shore
(4 MPAs)
- Macrophyte
dominated section
with 68 ha mangrove,
33 ha seagrass bed,
plus a narrow zone of
Sargassum dominated
seaweed

Fig. 1. A. Philippine map showing location of Bindoy municipality (top) and the Mantalip Reef System (box) in
Negros Oriental (bottom). B. Enlarged coastal map of Tinaogan village showing the major habitats of the Mantalip
Reef System and sampling sites of fish surveys. Numbers indicate the shallower depth (in fathoms) of the lagoon
enclosed by the barrier reef compared to the main channel of the Taon Strait.
2. Determination of habitat distribution and local
current flow
- The total area of the major habitats were quantified
using maps from the NAMRIA and geo-referenced site
surveys
- While the surface current was recorded using GPS
attached to a floater with submersed 0.5m x 0.5m
tarpaulin sheet weighed down by sinkers
3. Community structure and characterization across
habitats
- Fish collected were preserved in 10% buffered
formalin and identified to at least the taxonomic family
- Sampling was conducted in mangrove areas, near-
shore seagrass beds and coral communities
4. Determination of catch rates and annual yield
- Focus Group Discussion
from all six villages.
Groups of 15-20 mostly
male of various age were
gathered through
coordination with PO of
each coastal village
- Fish Catch Monitoring from
each coastal village
recording TL, SL and
weight measurements,
fishing habitat info and
fishing duration Fig. 2. Survey sites for fish catch
monitoring.
5. Contributions of various habitats to fisheries yield
- Coral reef production was calculated using the min. value
indicated in the Resilience estimate from FishBase of
commercially important fish encountered in FVC (Frocse
and Pauly, 2011).
- Maximum sustainable yield is the annual rate of
population increase obtained and multiplied by standing
biomass obtained in FVC and projected to each location
6. Data analysis
- Family and species overlapped were identified
- Size distributions for families recorded were compared
- Fish catch composition were compared across different
villages
- CPUE was calculated as the total biomass caught per trip
per gear type
- Annual projected catch were calculated based on CPUE and
compared with the annual potential productivity of a
habitat
- Fisheries yield dependent on community was calculated by
obtaining proportion of total biomass derived from families
occurring in more than one habitat
1.Habitat extent, habitat distribution and surface current flow
- Mangrove forest made up of 68.05 ha were mostly comprised of
R. stylosa and R. apiculata, Seagrass beds covering 33.37 ha were
dominated by T. hemprichiiI, the reef area of 540 ha (72% of the
reef system) comprises fringing, patchy lagoon and barrier reef
with ave. hard coral cover of 33.46% rated as fair condition.
- During SW monsoon,
plankton accumulate due to
eddies in the lagoon
- During NE monsoon,
surface current become
stronger and unidirectional
that planktivores enters the
lagoon
2. Community structure characterization across habitats
Habitat Species richness Shannon H Simpsons 1-D
Mangrove 25 sp.; 21 families 1.278 0.6064
Seagrass beds 46 sp.; 27 families 3.044 0.9225
Coral reefs 179 sp.; 31 families 2.730 0.8426

- Mangrove areas have high densities of silversides (Atherinidae)

and cardinal fish (Apogonidae) indicating the abundant source of
plankton and nekton (provide picture)
- Schools of planktivore families dominate coral reef except
Acanthuridae (provide picture)
- In seagrass beds, wrasses (Labridae) and benthic invertebrate
feeders (57%) dominates (provide picture)
2. Community structure characterization across habitats contd
- Comparing species composition
- Mangrove and seagrass communities were similar of 76%
- Mangrove and coral reef of 36%
- Seagrass and coral reef 52%

Fig. 4. Size distribution (in cm) across habitats for families with overlapping species. Fish illustrations drawn after Allen et al., 2003.
3. Contribution of coastal habitats to total fisheries yield
- Catch monitoring
3. Contribution of coastal habitats to total fisheries yield
- Habitat production

Fig. 5. Conceptual framework of the functional relationships of the mangrove,

seagrass and coral reef habitats of the Mantalip Reef System.
 Mangrove and seagrass beds were observed to act as nurseries
to several commercially important reef fish families.
Considering the potential contributions to fisheries yield, the
degradation of any of these habitats would reduce productivity
in the system.
Based on the fisheries assessment, overfishing may already be
occurring in the Mantalip Reef System. Maintaining viable
reproducing fish populations through reduction of fishing effort
coupled with protection of vulnerable and integral habitats
such as the seagrass beds will help maintain the connectivity
of the reef system for the long-term benefit of its users.
Proper valuation of fisheries production of the mangroves and
seagrass habitats will assist managers in convincing fisherfolk
of the importance of preserving connectivity across their
coastal habitats.
Ramos, D.A. et al., 2015. Linking integrity of coastal habitats and fisheries
yield in the Mantalip Reef System. Ocean and Coastal Management,
111: 62-71.