GUPES Green Gown Awards 2016 – Asia and the Pacific – De La Salle University – Highly Commended

Local Fishers protecting Nemo and Friends: an effort in Coastal Resource
Management of Talim Bay

COSCA’s effort focused on a consultative process of listening to the problems besetting the fishers and their families and informing them that a possible solution can come from basically protecting and conserving their natural resource base.

Fishers, among others essentially were encouraged to take a closer look at establishing their own version of a Marine Protected Area, a key resource management option designed to protect a vital part of the municipal coral reefs, seagrass beds and mangrove forest to ensure the integrity of these ecosystems. The operative concept was to sustainably utilize through regulation and peoples’ participation.

Top 3 learnings

1. Community members as major partners in local development.
2. Academe needs to learn from appropriate grassroots technology.
3. Resource management is managing people not resources.

What it means to win

“This has become our source of institutional pride and at the same time a reminder that these types of initiatives should be replicated in other areas as well.”

Dr Raymundo B Suplido FSC, PhD, President,
De La Salle University

Videos

• Local Fishers protecting Nemo and Friends: an effort in Coastal Resource Management of Talim Bay (click to hide)