management of the turtle islands heritage protected area of the... · management of the turtle...

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Management of the Turtle Islands Heritage Protected Area

by

Director, Sabah Parks

Regional Meeting on Conservation and Management of Sea Turtle Foraging Habitats in South East Asian Waters

AnCasa Hotel & Spa, Kuala Lumpur 22-24 October 2013

Content of presentation

• Introduction

• Description of the TIHPA

• The MoU and the JMC

• The Joint Management Program

• Turtle Conservation work

• Ecotourism programs

• Issues

Introduction

• Turtle conservation efforts in Sabah, Malaysia:

- establishment of turtle hatchery in Selingaan (1966) and Bakkungaan Kechil (1968) - Conversion of the islands of Selingaan, Bakkungaan Kecill and Gulisaan as a Game and Bird Sanctuary in 1972; turtle tagging initiated

- Gazettement of Turtle Islands Park (1,740 ha.) in October, 1977

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Result of Research on Tagging Program

Source:www.oneocean.org/ambassadors

The Turtle Islands Heritage Protected Area (TIHPA)

• The TIHPA consists of nine islands that bestride the international treaty limits separating Malaysia and the Philippines. Three of these islands, namely Selingaan, Bakkungaan Kechil and Gulisaan, are located within Malaysian waters. These islands form the original Turtle Islands Park, which was gazetted in October 1977, covering an area of 1,740 hectares. The other six islands, designated by the Philippines, are Boaan, Lihiman, Langaan, Great Bakkungaan, Baguan and Taganak. The TIHPA lies about 40 km. north of Sandakan, Sabah, Malaysia and about 1000 km. southwest of Manila, Philippines.

Taganak

Boaan

Bakungaan Besar

Lihiman Langaan Selingaan

Bakungaan K.

Gulisaan

Turtle Islands

Sandakan

Baguan

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Significance of the TIHPA

• The Sabah-Philippine Turtle Islands in the Sulu Sea, together with the Berau islands, East Kalimantan, Indonesia, form one of the few remaining major green turtle nesting habitats in the world, where more than 1,000 turtles nest annually (Trono, 1993). Specifically, Gulisaan Island provides nesting habitat to the largest remaining hawksbill turtle population in the entire South East Asian Region (Chan & Liew, 1996).

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Selingaan Island Bakkungaan Kechil

Gulisaan Island

The Philippines Turtle Islands


• Established in May 1996 following the signing of a Memorandum of Agreement between the Governments of Malaysia and the Republic of the Philippines.

• An integrated management through regional cooperation and coordination.


• The world’s first transborder protected area for marine turtles.

• The MoA involves the implementation of a joint management programs to ensure the survival of the remaining green and hawksbill turtle populations in the area.

The TIHPA Integrated Management Program

• Implementation of an integrated and uniform approach to conservation and research that is oriented towards wise management of the TIHPA;

• Establishment of a centralized database and information network on marine turtles;

• Development of appropriate information awareness programs primarily targeted towards the inhabitants of the Turtle Islands (applicable only to the Philippine side) on conservation of marine turtles and the protection of their habitats;

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The TIHPA Integrated Management Program (contd.)

• Implementation of a joint marine turtle resource management program;

• Development and implementation of a training and development program for the staff of the TIHPA;

• Development and undertaking of eco-tourism programs;

• Adoption of a Turtle Conservation and Research Program.

The TIHPA Management Program (contd.)

Turtle Conservation and Research Program.

• Turtle Conservation and management Program 1. Protection of nesting habitat 2. Prohibition of sand and coral excavation 3. Protection and rehabilitation of beach vegetation 4. Beach clearing activities 5. Protection of adult turtles 6. Prohibition of the use of fishing gears contributing to

mortality or disturbance of turtles within TIHPA 7. Screening of lights from buildings 8. Protection from main forms of pollution that might

endanger turtles 9. Formulation of a Joint Management Plan for the TIHPA

The TIHPA Management Program (contd.)

Turtle Conservation and Research Program.

• Research and Monitoring Program 1. Population status and distribution 2. Turtle harvest management 3. Dynamics of turtle egg trade 4. DNA analysis 5. Determination of sex ratio in ex-situ hatching 6. Tagging of turtles 7. Joint resource and ecological assessment 8. Joint socio-cultural-economic and investment

opportunity assessment

The Joint Management Program

• I. Surveillance and Enforcement

• II. Research and Monitoring

• III. Education and Awareness

• IV. Capacity Building

• V. Centralised database, and

• VI. Collaboration and Networking

The Joint Management Committee (JMC)

• Composed of five members from each contracting party;

• May be accompanied by one or more experts and advisers who may come from non-government organizations involved in the conservation of marine turtles;

• Shall serve as the policy-making body of the TIHPA and may coordinate/collaborate with international organizations involved in marine turtle conservation for the realization of the purposes of this Agreement

The Joint Management Committee (JMC) contd.

• The representative of each contracting Party to the Committee shall study and recommend to their respective authorities the enactment of such laws as may be necessary to pursue the purposes of this Agreement.

• The Committee shall render periodic reports to the Malaysia-Philippines Joint Commission for Bilateral Cooperation

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Membership of the Malaysian JMC

• Director of Sabah Parks (Chairman)

• Director, Resource management Section, Department of Fisheries Malaysia

• Representative from the Federal Attorney General’s Chambers

• Permanent Secretary, State Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Environment Sabah

• Assistant Director, Park Management & Operations Section, Sabah Parks

Membership of the Philippine JMC

• Director, Protected Areas & Wildlife Bureau, Department of Environment and Natural Resources (Chairman)

• Representative from Maritime and Ocean Affairs Unit (MOAU), Office of the Undersecretary for Policy, Department of Foreign Affairs

• Assistant Chief of Staff for Plans and Programs, AC5 Southern Command, Armed Forces of the Philippines

• Director, Special Concerns Office, DENR – Autonomous Region for Muslim Mindanao (ARMM)

• Executive Director, Kabang Kalikasan ng Pilipinas (KKP)

Institutional Mechanism for Implementation

• Coordinated management

• Parallel management plans

• Each party has to respect and accept existing national and local policies of the counterpart.

• A ten-member Joint Management Committee.

• A Joint Technical Working Group.

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Selingaan Island

Bakkungan Kechil Island

Turtle Islands Park’s hatcheries

Gulisaan Island

PUBLIC AWARENESS PROGRAM / EDUCATION ACTIVITY

SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH PROGRAM

Research and Education Program

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Current turtle conservation

• Daily activities

– Beach patrol

– In situ & ex situ turtle nest program

– Hatchery program

– Data collection & management

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Sea Turtle Research: Monitoring migration pattern using satellite telemetry

Preparing a turtle for fixing a transmitter

A sea turtle with a transmitter

Result of the telemetry study

Preparation of transect lines and data logger protection pipes (October 2009)

12TH Meeting of the Joint Management Committee for the Turtle Islands Heritage Protected Area

Sabah Hotel, Sandakan, Sabah 19-20 September 2011

Income Diversification Project

The goal is to provide an alternative source of

income for the community as part of the social preparation for ecotourism.



Initial livelihood projects will be supported through a conservation agreement with selected residents of Taganak Island:

• Diversifying fishing and market options in

Taganak (assistance to fisher folks, including provision of sea crab traps)

• Tourism items and crafts for ecotourism in the Turtle Islands (engagement of the Youth and Java Mapun weavers)

• Improving access to basic commodities with lowered prices in Taganak, Turtle Islands (setting up of a buying-club among women)

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Green turtle nesting trend in TIP from 1979 - 2012

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1 3 5 7 9 11 13 15 17 19 21 23 25 27 29 31 33 35

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Nesting Trend of Hawksbill turtle nesting trend in TIP from 1979 - 2012

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1 4 7 10 13 16 19 22 25 28 31 34

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Green turtle nesting trend in TIWS from 1984 - 2011



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Taganak

Lihiman

Langaan

Bakkungan

Baguan

Ecotourism at the Turtle Islands Park

• Turtle Islands Park form one of the three main tourist attraction centers in the East Coast of Sabah.

• Known internationally because of the sea turtles (nesting throughout the year).

• Limited accommodation facilities provided. • Operation of chalets and other tourist facilities privatized in

1998. • Tourist arrival from 431 in 1982 to 11,418 in 2012. For the

last 5 years, the annual average number of tourists was 12,579 persons.

• Revenue collected: RM889,664.00 in 2011; RM1,018,314.50 in 2012, and RM733,271.17 up to Sept. 2013

Operation of ecotourism activity • Chalets & restaurant facilities operated by Crystal Quest Sdn.

Bhd.

• 52 pax per night

• Filming & photography permit

• Collection of Conservation fee

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Visitors’ accommodation

Facilities inside the chalets Management of visitors

Categories of visitors • Day trippers

• Overnight stay

Activities: 1. Swimming & snorkeling

2. Diving

3. Turtle watching

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Turtle Islands Ecotourism Development

Conservation International Philippines

Romeo Trono Country Executive Director

Turtle Islands, Tawi-Tawi • Located in the Sulu Sea in the

Municipality of Turtle Islands, Tawi-tawi

• Composed of six islands

• Major green turtle nesting area

• Part of the transborder Turtle Islands Heritage Protected Area

• With Limited Resources

• Zero tourism, but with great potential

Ecotourism as a Conservation Tool

Issues – Need to protect sea turtles,

the local environment and human wellbeing

– Need to provide the economic needs of the local communities

– Gathering of turtle eggs for food and trade continues

Selingan Island Model (Sabah)

• Turtle Watching Program operating for about 30 years

• Maintains high turtle nesting records

• Generates tourism revenues

• Provides livelihood for Malaysians

• Tour Operators buy rooms one year in advance

NO-TAKE ZONE BAGUAN ISLAND ZONING

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Sites for Development

33m

44m

33.5m

22m

12m15m

Areas for Development

Zones / Use Description Area in

hectares

Villas/Accommod

ation

Structures on

platforms

1.06

Perimeter buffer

zone

Vegetation/

pathwalk

1.28

Waste

Management

Area

Place for

composting,

recycling and

waste handling

0.12

PAMB Center 0.61

Employee

Accommodation

0.21 TOTAL AREA

3.28 hectares 36.29 hectares

Issues

• Inadequate funding to carry out all research program listed in the Joint Management Program

• Border crossing • Implementation of the Wildlife Resources

Conservation and Protection Act of 2001 (Republic Act 9147) – prohibition on the collection of sea turtles or any of its derivatives including eggs: Moratorium introduced to allow the 60/40 system to continue from late 2004

• Situation in the Southern Philippines (ARMM)

Thanks for your attention

A sunset view

from Pulau Tiga Park

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