An international ocean conservation group has called for the formulation of science-based policy for the protection of the Philippine Rise as a precautionary approach to ensure sustainable use of the resources in the region, before any human activity can even be considered in the area.
According to Oceana Philippines vice president Gloria Ramos, the signing of a presidential proclamation declaring 17,000 hectares of the Philippine Rise as marine protected area and another 300,000 hectares as fisheries management area “paves the way for the conservation, management, and protection of corals, fisheries, and the rich biodiversity.”
Read more: Climate change, overfishing pose threats to Philippine Rise
