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RESOURCE MANAGEMENT
The World-Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) has been assisting the municipality of Donsol since 1998 when large aggregations of whale sharks were reported to inhabit the municipal waters of Donsol. WWF is currently implementing the Community-based Ecotourism and Coastal Resource Management Project, funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), which forms part of the Sulu-Sulawesi Marine Eco-region Partnership for Sustainability Program. The Project generally aims to:
- Enhance and sustain the utilization of coastal resources through application of best fishery practices;
- Improve and make CRM initiatives self-sustaining through enhanced ecotourism enterprise; and,
- Establish multi-stakeholder partnerships at the seascape (provincial) level to support the existing coastal resource management initiatives.
The Project has engaged the active participation of various stakeholders coming from the LGU, peoples’ organizations, national government agencies, non-government organizations and fisherfolk. Working closely with the Fisheries and Aquatic Resource Management Councils, Municipal Agriculture Office, the Municipal Council, among others, the Project was able to facilitate the development of the Municipal Fisheries Ordinance and the Fisheries Management Plan. A barangay-based mangrove management plan and two barangay-based solid waste management plans were also developed.
The Project also entered into a formal agreement with the LGU in support of the marine enforcement program of the latter. A bantay-dagat was created by the local chief executive, and supported by the fisheries ordinance, to address the persistent encroachment of commercial fishing vessels within the municipal waters of Donsol. Since its operation in late 2004, the bantay-dagat, together with the Philippine National Police and the Philippine Navy, has achieved more than 6 apprehensions resulting to 1 conviction for violation of Republic Act 8550 or the Philippine Fisheries Code.
