Establishing freshwater protected areas to protect biodiversity and improve food security in the Philippines

Ploeg, J. van der; Vermeersch, L.; Rodriguez, D.; Balbas, M.; Weerd, M. van (2017)

Part of book or chapter of book

This paper describes the efforts to establish a network of community-conserved areas in the municipality of San Mariano on Luzon, with the dual aim to protect the Philippine crocodile and to improve inland fisheries. The necessary steps to establish a community-conserved area are summarized, and their sustainability assessed. The importance of local leadership and democratic decision-making processes in the design of community-based conservation measures is highlighted, and it is argued that implicit cultural values, such as hospitality and respect, are often a more important motivation for rural communities to protect aquatic resources than explicit concerns about food security and livelihoods.

• All authors: Ploeg, J. van der; Vermeersch, L.; Rodriguez, D.; Balbas, M.; Weerd, M. van
• Editor(s): Westlund, L.; Charles, A.; Garcia, S.M.; Sanders, J.
• Date: 2017
• Title of host publication: Marine protected areas: Interactions with fishery livelihoods and food security
• Pages: 31 - 42
• Link: https://www.worldfishcenter.org/content/establishing-freshwater-protecte...