Climate Change, Fisherfolks, and the Coastal

Community

Vince CinchesFIDEC Inc.STSCM

Issue and Concerns

3.Community Awareness on Climate Change and it’s impacts4.Impacts of responses of Coastal Communities to Climate Change5.Local Discourse and the International Communities6.Perspective for a more community responsive and binding climate change policies

Center of the center…

Scientists have described the Philippines as the center of the center of marine shorefish diversity with the “richest concentration of marine life

on the entire planet.” (Carpenter and Springer, 2005)

Population highly dependent on marine fisheries as source of animal protein and livelihood.7,100 islands226,000km2 coastal waters1.93 million km2 oceanic waters36,289 km discontinuous coastline64(out of 79) coastal provinces832 (out of 1,541) coastal municipalities64.7 million coastal population (2000)

“Climate change, which may lead to sea level rise and possible increases in storm frequency and strength, could have major impacts on Philippine marine and coastal resources, especially coral reefs, fisheries and the community they

support.”-Philippine Environment Monitor 2005

Historic correlation between C02 and temperature

Worldwide, marine and freshwater fisheries generate over US$130 billion annually, employ at least 200 million people, and feed billions of people

reliant on fish as an important source of protein

Atmospheric carbon concentration will lead to warm sea water which

will lead to decline of marine species and coral bleaching.

hotter water means less food, less offspring and even less oxygen for

marine and freshwater fish populations, since the amount of

oxygen dissolved in water decreases as temperatures rise. .

1. Reclamation Projects2. Privatization of waters3. Eco-tourism4. Corporate Fishing

1. Use Re-classification2. Illegal Fishing3. Off-shore Mining4. Exclusive Resource management

Anti-People State Fishing, Marine and Aquaculture Policies

Impacts on Philippine Coastal Environments

“The coastal are the natural crossroads between human activity and the sea.” (Weber 1993)As an archipelagic nation, the Philippines is essentially one big coastal zone. Impacts on coastal resources may be felt from activities conducted at the highest mountain peak to the coastal and marine waters. Human impacts on coastal resources in the Philippines continue to intensify as increased population pressure on land and in the sea are degrading fisheries, coral reefs, and mangrove areas that serve as the basis for food security, economic development, and biodiversity conservation.Coastal resource management (CRM) is above all else managing people and human activities so that their negative impacts on the coastal environment are minimized. It is a dynamic process that seeks to rationalize the use and development of coastal resources to ensure that present human needs are provided while coastal environments and habitats are protected and managed for future and sustainable use.

Sea level riseSea level rise

7 meters rise7 meters rise

United Nations Environment ProgramPg 32.

The Fourth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change states that warming of the climate system is unequivocal, as is now evident from observations of increases in

global average air and ocean temperatures, widespread melting of snow and ice, and rising global average sea level.

Natural systems, including oceans and coasts, are being affected by regional climate changes, particularly by temperature increases.

Besides rising surface water temperatures and sea level, impacts are or will be associated with changes in the wave climate, circulation, ice cover,fresh water run-off, salinity, oxygen levels and water acidity.

Shifts in ranges and changes in algal, plankton and fish abundance have already been observed in high-latitude oceans.

Sea level-rise is negatively contributing to coastal erosion, losses of coastal wetland ecosystems, including salt marshes and mangroves, and increasing damage from coastal flooding in many areas. These effects will be exacerbated by increasing human-induced pressures on coastal areas.

Warm Water / Temperature Rise Calcification & Coral Bleaching Less Oxygen Death and Migration of Fishes Change of Sea Current Rising Sea Levels & Evacuation Diseases Retreating Coastlines Dead Zones in Fishing Grounds Collapse of Marine Environment Extreme Weathers Refugees Invasion of Species Salt Water Intrusion

Corals are beautiful living animals that are enjoyed by millions of snorkelers and divers world wide, but they are also of vital importance for the whole coral reef ecosystem and for coastal fisheries.

TYPHOONS

WARMING AND DISTRIBUTION OF SPECIES

With melting sea ice and warming of the oceans, marine species change their distributions, affecting entire food chains and ocean productivity. In 2005 the subtropical dinoflagellate Ceratium hexacanthum was found in CPR samples from the North Sea at levels that were 6 standard deviations above previous measurements since 1958. Further evidence of this warning signal is seen in the appearance of a Pacific planktonic plant (a diatom Neodenticula seminae) in the Northwest Atlantic for the first time in 800,000 years, by transfer across the top of Canada due to the rapid melting of Arctic ice in 1998.

INVASION OF PECIES

If this ocean conveyor belt slows down or changes as a result of melting ice and increasing ocean temperatures, the impacts on marine life may become severe.

Thank you.