In May 3 – 11, 2025, the “Saving Philippine Reefs” (SPR) Expedition team embarked on their 32nd annual coral reef monitoring project at one of many prior CCEF survey sites in Siquijor, Philippines. The SPR expeditions, which started in 1992, have generated essential long-term data on the composition and health of coral reefs and formed a robust dataset that tracks the status and trends of reefs across all surveyed sites. The information collected has been instrumental in supporting local government units (LGUs) in the protection and ongoing monitoring of coastal resources and serves as a foundation for improving sustainable management practices at the local level.
Over 20 Marine Protected Areas are officially registered in Siquijor which are supported by the island’s LGUs and volunteer bantay dagat teams (community sea wardens). The 2025 SPR expedition surveyed areas both within and just outside of each of 10 MPAs so as to chronicle the differences in biodiversity and reef health in areas protected versus those open to fishing activity. Throughout the nine-day expedition, the SPR research team completed 13 underwater surveys of MPAs across all six municipalities of Siquijor. Each day in the field consisted of two scuba dives to collect data on coral reef biota including fish and invertebrate diversity, abundance, and biomass. Additional information was collected to characterize the benthic environment and any observed anthropogenic impacts.
An upcoming report by CCEF will document changes and trends in reef fish abundance and coral health over three decades of monitoring. The report aims to identify factors contributing to changes in reef health and fish patterns over the years. Observations from the 2025 SPR surveys may generate policy recommendations for improved management and protection of Siquijor’s MPAs.
