Lingayen, Pangasinan- A network of marine protected areas in the City of Alaminos and the municipalities of Anda and Sual will soon be established.
Prior to the establishment of the City of Alaminos-Municipalities of Sual and Anda Marine Protected Area Network (CAMSA MPA Network), Governor Ramon V. Guico III will enter and sign a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) with the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), the Department of Agriculture-Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (DA-BFAR), and the Local Government Units of Alaminos City, Anda, and Sual.
Said MOA was formalized by a provincial board resolution, which was authored by Sangguniang Panlalawigan Members Vici M. Ventanilla and Nicholi Jan Louie Q. Sison during the regular session on November 6.
“The establishment of Marine Protected Areas network in some areas of Pangasinan would be a proactive step in the protection of important marine and coastal biodiversity in the province,” the resolution stated.
Aiming to preserve, protect, and conserve the coastal and fishery resources of the local government units concerned and ensure their sustainable use for the benefit of the people of Pangasinan, the resolution further disclosed that “the marine protected area will play a vital role in the formation of an alliance to strengthen community resiliency towards climate change by managing coastal habitats for the sustainable utilization of marine resources.”
“There is an essential need to establish Marine Protected Areas Networn in Pangasinan, as it would be beneficial to the province in terms of food security, sustainable livelihood and economic growth, climate change mitigation, and adaptation,” the resolution also cited.
The coastal and marine areas of the three proponent LGUs are hosts to important coastal habitats, which are considered repositories of marine biodiversity.
Hence, collaborative management between and among the three LGUs and the concerned authorities will serve as the key to effectively and sustainably attain the benefits of establishing a MPA network in the province, considering the threats of climate change, storm surges, and marine pollution, among others.
(Ruby R. Bernardino/PIMRO)
