Known for its Seven Line coral reef, Aborlan in Palawan now hosts an impressive Marine Protected Area (MPA) spanning 79,000 hectares as part of a two-country initiative by WWF and Fondation Segré to rebuild the fish stocks of the Coral Triangle by changing the way people view protected areas.

MPAs are portions of the sea which are protected by law. According to MPAtlas, the Philippines hosts 1557 – more than any in Southeast Asia. Sadly, many MPAs are plagued by a lack of funding. Perhaps just over 100 MPAs are properly administered. Many are negatively viewed by coastal people as deterrents to their ability to fish in front of their homes.

This is because most MPAs have been designed to protect marine biodiversity rather than to replenish fish stocks and support local economies. Over the past decade, WWF has been trying to put  people’s needs first by focusing on the value of MPAs to maximize fisheries production instead of merely protecting biodiversity. Realizing that sustainability means business viability, the initiative works with the local seafood and tourism sectors to finance and  manage MPAs and sustainable fishing initiatives.

The move heavily involves local fishermen and communities in the management of marine resources by helping them gain exclusive rights to fisheries located in or near MPAs and by working with them to improve the health and productivity of their fisheries.