The project will help provide the necessary incentives, training and logistical support that the marine park rangers need to maintain exemplary performance in protecting the Tubbataha Reefs.
The Tubbataha Reefs supports fisheries in the Sulu Sea and also draws tourists internationally. They contribute about $4.5 million in tourism revenues to the local economy. The fisheries and tourism benefits from the park are about $16.8 million. The social willingness to pay is estimated at $4 million. An enforcement program introduced by WWF in 1999 made Tubbataha one of the few effectively managed marine-protected areas in the country. The program requires an annual budget of $120,000.
The project will have two main activities: enforcement and visitor management, which includes training, maintenance and improvement of the ranger station; surveillance, patrol and environmental education and a publicity campaign.
Direct benefits from tourism and fishery and indirect benefits from larval dispersal are estimated to reach a net value of $1.28 million (assuming 10% discount rate for 20 years), provided current enforcement and management efforts are maintained.
This project has provided additional documentation in a PDF file (projdoc.pdf).
