Monday, June 12, 2017

From Coral Triangle to Verde Island Passage where the largest concentration of marine life can be found




From the Coral Triangle to its peak, the Verde Island Passage Marine Corridor where lies Marinduque 
(Original post on this blog, Jan. 9, 2013)



The Coral Triangle is known as the world’s center of marine biodiversity. The boundaries of this region are defined by scientists as covering the economic zones of Indonesia, Malaysia, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Solomon Islands and Timor-Leste. A multilateral partnership called the Coral Triangle Initiative on Coral Reefs, Fisheries and Food Security (CTI-CFF) was established. 

This initiative safeguards the region’s rich marine and coastal resources through protection from overfishing, destructive fishing practices, unsustainable coastal development, pollution and impacts of climate change. On the other hand, at the heart of the Coral Triangle, the center of the highest concentration of marine biodiversity in the world is an area accounting for 50 percent of the world's coral species. 

Within this center of the highest concentratiion of marine biodiversity is the largest concentration of marine life with a recorded 1,736 overlapping marine species in a 10 by 10 kilometer marine habitat. This is situated within the Verde Island Passage between Batangas and Mindoro, northwest of Marinduque. 

The Verde Island Passage Marine Corridor covers portions of the coastal waters of Batangas, Oriental Mindoro, Occidental Mindoro, MARINDUQUE and Romblon.


Amoingon Beach, Boac, Marinduque. Photo: Alex Fellizar