Australia beefs up Palawan coral conservation

PUERTO PRINCESA CITY, Palawan — The Palawan Council for Sustainable Development — the organization responsible for creating environmental policies for the province — has recently been provided with advanced equipment by the Australian government.

The ReefScan and ReefCloud instruments donated through the Australian Institute of Marine Science are intended for the monitoring and preservation of the well-being of crucial coral ecosystems, which play a significant role in marine biodiversity.

The donation was presented by AIMS to the Council, through Palawan Governor Dennis Socrates, its chairman, on Tuesday, 12 September, at a hotel in Puerto Princesa City.

The ReefScan Transom is a self-contained device that can be affixed to a boat, enabling it to capture underwater images while the vessel is in motion. These images are then transmitted to ReefCloud for analysis.

ReefCloud, on the other hand, is a digital platform that utilizes artificial intelligence to examine underwater photographs of coral reefs. It swiftly extracts data regarding the coral reef's state, ultimately producing comprehensive, consistent, and easily comprehensible reports.

Governor Victorino Socrates conveyed his appreciation to the Australian government, AIMS and the Marine Resource Initiative for introducing the technologies to the Council.

He also emphasized the significance of the equipment in effectively managing Palawan's coral reef ecosystems. The data gathered through these technologies will be instrumental in creating detailed Environmentally Critical Areas Network coastal maps for the province.

"Australia is becoming our favorite ally, and on behalf of the Palawan Council for Sustainable Development, and also the provincial government and the Palaweño community, it's my honor to accept these gifts from AIMS and Australia, which I know will go a long way towards helping us in our efforts to conserve our marine environment," Socrates said.

Britta Schaffelke, who serves as the manager of International Partnerships at AIMS and also acts as the coordinator for the Global Coral Reef Monitoring Network, stressed the profound significance of coral reefs in various facets of human existence.

She highlighted that coral reefs have substantial global economic implications, especially in the Philippines, where they serve as a significant means of livelihood.

"Coral reefs might only occupy 1 percent of the world's marine environment but they are home to about a quarter of the world's marine species and they are important habitat for fish," Schaffelke said.

"Coral reefs support marine life and industries such as fishing and tourism that underpin economic and social wellbeing, and they help protect coastlines from erosion and flooding," she added.

Meantime, Claire Birks, representing the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, recognized the significance of collaboration between Australia and the Philippines in safeguarding the marine environment to tackle issues like pollution, climate change, and overexploitation.

In addition to their efforts to protect marine biodiversity, Birks mentioned that the two nations have recently extended their cooperation to address broader maritime concerns. These include combatting illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing, enhancing the capabilities of coast guards, and providing training related to the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea.

"This year, Australia was proud to have joined with others, including the Philippines, to successfully conclude negotiations for an ambitious new ocean's treaty of biodiversity beyond national jurisdiction. And more broadly, Australia is working with ASEAN to strengthen our maritime cooperation and efforts to address climate change," Birks said.