Singapore: 15 - 16 June 2010

 

Tuas 15 June 2010

 

The weather wasn't cooperating, but a team of brave volunteers from Schering Plough led by the intrepid Sheryl and Helen went ahead for TeamSeagrass monitoring of the meadows just off their premises at Tuas.

The dominant seagrass on this shore are Halophila ovalis. They are nice and fresh and green today. Today there's quite a lot of Sea lettuce seaweed (Ulva sp.) on the shore too. This shore has a tiny patch of Enhalus acoroide Which doesn't seem to be doing very well today.

Alas, the designated site at Tuas has no seagrasses as these have 'moved' to another part of the shore. So Sheryl and Helen had already done the monitoring in very quick time. Instead, the volunteers are given a tour of the shore by Helen. Bravo to the team and let's hope we have better weather the next time around.  For more pictures and interesting facts visit Team Seagrass Click Here

	Chek Jawa 16 June 2010

 

Today, the Team heads off to monitor Chek Jawa after the oil spill that hit this shore about three weeks ago. How are our seagrasses doing? While earlier reports by shore lovers and in the media suggest no major immediate impacts, effects of an oil spill can develop over the long term. As I check out the meadows of Halophila ovalis near House No. 1, alas, I notice lots of patches of pale seagrasses. The leaves of some of the Spoon seagrasses have turned transparent!

There are patches of 'bleached' Halophila ovalis on the meadows in front of House No. 1 on both sides of the jetty there. Even some of the seaweed (Ulva sp.) is also bleached. Siti believes the 'bleaching' is in patches because these are probably where crude might have settled on the meadows.

Oil spills are not the only threat to Chek Jawa. On the high shore, near the tracks made by wild boar foraging on the flotsam washed up at the high tide mark, there's lots of rubbish. Also abandoned driftnets. Off the shore, a man is gathering marine life, in the distance, the first of a long row of floating fish farms off the southern shores of Pulau Ubin. 

For more pictures and interesting facts visit Team Seagrass Click Here and Wild Singapore Click Here

 

Verde Island Passage (Philippines): 27 May - 2 June 2010

As part of Conservation International's Sulu-Sulawesi Seascapes and Climate Change programs, Seagrass-Watch and seagrass ecosystem training workshops were conducted in Puerto Galera by Conservation International, in partnership with the Marine Science Institute – University of the Philippines, Seagrass-Watch HQ and the municipalities of the Verde Island Passage.

The project recognises the ecological and economic roles of seagrasses in the Verde Island Passage, and that the maintenance of their ecology and integrity will, in both the long and short term, contribute to uplifting the lives of the citizens of this municipality.

The workshops aim to increase awareness of seagrass and the services they provide and to ensure a sustainable management of seagrass resources. The training program was designed for managers of marine protected areas (MPAs) in the Sulu-Sulawesi Seascape to provide tools for monitoring, adaptive management, and conservation of seagrass beds and increase awareness among managers and local governments to effectively conserve these important ecosystems and ensure their protection is specifically addressed within MPA management plans.

Puerto Galera 27 - 29 May 2010

 

The first 3 day workshop was attended by sixteen local participants including Bantay Dagat's and few LGUs officials from Batangas. The workshop gave the participants a thorough understanding of seagrass ecosystems, improved their capacity to monitor their seagrass resources, and empowered them to take ownership of their local marine resources and take a role in initiatives to protect, conserve and maintain the resources. The presentation and working group sessions were conducted at The Moorings, Pueto Galera. The field component was conducted at San Antonio Island. The fringing reef meadow was dominated by Halodule uninervis/Thalassia hemprichii with Enhalus acoroides/Cymodocea rotundata/Halophila ovalis/Syringodium isoetifolium meadow. Averge seagrass cover was 52%. Throughout the workshop, participants shared their knowledge of seagrass resources in the Verde Island Passage and current and future threats (including climate change).

	Puerto Galera 31 May - 02 June 2010

 

The second 3 day workshop was attended by eighteen participants, including LGU managers and officers from Or. and Oc. Mindoro. Also conducted at the Moorings in Puerto Galera, the group was very involved in understanding the importance of seagrasses and the functions they play in the marine environment, what threats are present in the VIP and how to address them. The field component was also conducted on a section of the reef flat at San Antonio Island (approximately 300m from PU1). PU2 was dominated by Halodule uninervis nearshore, but as the transects progressed seasward, the meadow included more Enhalus acoroides and Thalassia hemprichii. Unfortuantely, the tides were not favourable, providing a subtidal challenge to particpants. Nevertheless, everyone had a great time learning and practicing the Seagrass-Watch protocols. The workshop overall complemented recent training where LGUs had focused on coral reefs and mangroves, and will hopefully allow resources managers in the VIP to undertake a more comprehensive approach to the management of coastal marine resources.

 

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