The Barangay Council of Pasadena, in partnership with the community managing Cagbatang Marine Sanctuary, launched their floating guard house on August 20, 2011.

Members of El Nido Coastal Resource Management [CRM] Council and the community members of Barangay Masagana, led by Bgy. Captain Ernesto Lajallab, came to celebrate with them.

Cagbatang Community Managed Marine Protected Area was established in 2006. It has a total area of 60 hectares and is home to 85 species of fish. Dugongs are frequently seen by community members during reef monitoring activity and once filmed by marine scientists, Dr. Mark Erdmann and Dr. Gerald Allen, during reef assessment.

The increase of the number and sizes of fish delivered to the public market by the community fishermen of Pasadena indicates that they are already benefiting from the “spill overs” of Cagbatang Marine Sanctuary. Pasadena Bgy. Capt. Mateo Cantuba plans to provide more livelihood opportunities to the community, aside from fishery, by opening some parts of the site for tourism. He also plans to expand the marine protected area to more than 100 hectares.

 

September 3, 2011

-Arvin L. Acosta