Integrated Coastal Management Project of Balayan Bay and adjacent bays of the Calatagan Peninsula

In 2000, WWF-Philippines, the Batangas Provincial government and 11 coastal towns launched an Integrated Coastal Management (ICM) Project in Balayan Bay and adjacent bays covering about a 261-km coastline and 226,000 hectares of municipal waters. In 2004, the project completed the ICM plan, strengthened community-based groups, prepared CRM plans in the municipalities of Mabini, Tingloy and Nasugbu and established a law enforcement system within the bay. Improvements in coral cover, fish densities and fish catches were recorded in sampled towns within Balayan Bay. The provincial government expanded ICM to Tayabas Bay, effectively placing the entire coastline of Batangas Province under ICM. The next phase of this project will focus on institutional development for ICM in western Batangas, user fee expansion, plan harmonization, integrated land/water use planning, enforcement and solid waste management. The ICM project is supported by a grant from the Homeland Foundation through WWF-US.
To know more about this project, please email rsandalo@wwf.org.ph.