Sarangani Bay marks 24th year as protected area

Sarangani Bay, one of the united states of america’s richest our bodies of water and home to the Philippine tuna industry, currently celebrated its 24th 12 months as a included seascape.

To mark the occasion, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) in Region 12 (Soccsksargen) in collaboration with the Protected Area Management Board, launched the first-ever Sarangani Bay Protected Seascape (SBPS) Week to highlight the efforts to defend and conserve its coastal and marine sources.

The bay changed into declared a covered seascape through former president Fidel Ramos thru Proclamation 756 series of 1996, overlaying 215,950 hectares.

Held in Gen. Santos City and various elements of Sarangani province, the week-lengthy observance consisted of mall reveals of marine species and simultaneous bay-wide cleanups participated in by using the 68 barangays, commercial enterprise and tourism institutions along the bay’s coast.

A dive safari and underwater images contest held at Maitum, Kiamba and Maasim cities showcased Sarangani’s emerging scuba diving web sites. Topping the 3-day image tilt have been Bretch Garcinez of General Santos City and East Pardillo of Davao City who gained the huge and macro classes, respectively.

Fringe sports covered a 3-day environmental forum and enforcement summit, trash to artwork, mass dance and brand making competitions, and the look for the ambassadress of SBPS.

Declared via the Department of Tourism as a scuba diving haven in southern Mindanao in 2017, the bay became also listed via the DENR as a Key Marine Biodiversity Areas with coral sources overlaying 2,293 hectares, 60 crucial live tough coral species, 411 reef species and 11 species of seagrass.

The DENR has additionally monitored diverse dolphin species, killer whales, dwarf and pygmy sperm whales in the bay, attesting to its wealthy biodiversity.

Because of the event’s fulfillment, the SBPS Protected Area Management Board handed a resolution declaring March five as the annual SBPS Day, and directing local authorities devices, essential stakeholders, and companion companies to participate within the observance.

PAMB Vice Chairman and Sarangani Gov. Steve Solon lauded the maiden celebration, saying it symbolizes a broader commitment in preserving the bay as a shelter, and source of dwelling and lifestyles to the areas around it.

He stated the provincial authorities is a chief stakeholder inside the protection of the bay’s ecosystem through its Sulong Kalikasan program and the Environmental Conservation and Protection Center.

Hugging a coastal avenue of some 224 kilometers, the bay is host to the Gen. Santos City Fish Port Complex, fisherfolk villages, seashore resorts, a coal power power plant, shipyards, marine parks and sanctuaries, and aquaculture farms.