There is evidence that the Spratlys is a source of marine propagules for Palawan and Luzon areas, Philippines. This is indicated by the genetic similar- ity of some species of fish and invertebrates. The water circulation in western Palawan and western Luzon makes it highly probable that fish larvae of the
Fig. 6. Reclaimed atolls showing occur- rence of siltation. A.
Fiery Cross Reef (www.bbc.com); B.
Mischief Reef (www.
nytimes.com).
A
B
fish families, Scombridae, Myctophidae and others are dispersed to the Philip- pines especially during the northern winter months. More genetic studies on fish and other marine species are however needed.
The atolls in the Spratlys are important in that they retain nutrients needed for marine production. These nutrients which are periodically re- leased to the surrounding open ocean are utilized in primary production by phytoplankton. Atolls also retain in their lagoons adult fish that produce larvae that are being released at times for wider distribution in the South China Sea.
Some of these larvae could reach the Philippines through oceanic currents, like the Luzon and Nansha Gyres, especially during the northern winter months.
The Philippines benefits from fisheries in the Spratlys. Data in the past clearly showed a substantial value in U.S. dollars of the fisheries in the Sprat- lys. Minor marine products, such as sea cucumbers, giant clams, etc., although of unknown monetary value, also contribute to the economic life of Filipinos.
Coral reefs function to moderate extreme weather conditions and to provide cultural and aesthetic benefits to the country should also be recognized. In the case of the Scarborough Shoal, evidence exists that in the past, fishermen from the Visayas and Mindanao in southern Philippines used to make regular an- nual journeys northward to fish in the waters of the Shoal.
It is recommended that a policy on regional ocean governance be ad- opted by countries surrounding the South China Sea, including the Philippines under UNCLOS Part IX, which states that “States bordering enclosed and semi- enclosed seas should cooperate with each other in the exercise of their rights and in the performance of their duties under the Convention.” “There are areas of cooperation for immediate implementation i.e. cooperation in fisheries, the preservation and protection of the marine environment and marine biodiver- sity, marine scientific research, and safety and security of navigation; or re- gional ocean governance in general (Encomienda 2015).” Under this policy, 20-30% of the coral reefs in the area and all or part of the atolls could be es- tablished as no-take marine reserves and should be protected and managed and regularly monitored to ensure the conservation of marine biological re- sources in the Spratlys. This is especially urgent because, as stated earlier, fish biomass and abundance in the Spratly reefs surveyed by the JOMSRE expedi- tions have been shown to have been reduced by about two-thirds in 11 years (1996-2007) (Stockwell et al. 2008). The idea of no-take marine protected ar- eas (MPA) in the Spratlys was suggested by McManus and Meñez in 1997 and by Philippine and Vietnamese scientists meeting in Ha Long Bay in 2007.
As discussed above, there is good reason to be concerned about fisher- ies because of the recent findings that abundance and biomass of coral reef fishes have gone down (Stockwell et al. 2008) and catches from muro-ami and paaling fishing gears used on coral reefs have been reduced (Abesamis 2003).
No-take marine protected areas in the Philippines have been shown to build up the abundance and biomass of coral reef fishes in no-take MPAs and to ex- port adult fish and larvae to fishing areas for sustainable fishing (Alcala and Russ 1990, 2006).
Currently, there exists a special kind of MPA that is gaining favour among policymakers who are interested in exploring alternatives that will temporarily suspend territorial claims in disputed areas, according to James Borton who wrote the article “Geopolitical Monitor October 30, 2015” pub- lished by Geopolitical Monitor.com. This is the concept of Peace Parks defined by The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) as “transbound- ary protected areas that are formally dedicated to the protection and mainte- nance of biological diversity, and of natural and associated cultural resources, and to the promotion of peace and cooperation.”
Borton cites five examples, four of which deal with the marine environ- ment, as follows:
1. The Waterton-Glacier International Peace Park created in 1932 between Canada and the United States. This agreement led to collaborative re- search, ecotourism, and increased partnerships.
2. The Red Sea Peace Park established in 1994 between Israel and Jordan in the northern Gulf of Aqaba. This park led to normalization of relations and fostered coordination of marine biology research on coral reefs and marine conservation. The two nations and former enemies agreed to a peace treaty after many years of belligerency (material from NOAA).
3. The Torres Strait Treaty signed in 1978 between Australia and Papua New Guinea resolved, after a decade of negotiation, numerous political, legal and economic issues.
4. The Antarctic Treaty forged in 1959 is an excellent example of a multi- lateral peace park and solidified collaborative scientific research and conservation practices.
5. The Joint Oceanographic and Marine Scientific Research Expedition in the South China Sea signed in 1994 and carried out by the Philippines
and Vietnam in the Spratlys in 1996-2007 resulted in fruitful research collaboration and promoted friendly relations among Philippine and Vietnam scientists.
It is hoped that, because of the success of parks in the Philippines and other countries, government will consider both the traditional no-take marine reserves and the peace parks as practical solutions to the South China Sea is- sues.