im located in Puerto Princesa...
El Nido is also a great place to visit.... really!
im located in Puerto Princesa...
El Nido is also a great place to visit.... really!
I have not been there yet. What is the coral/reef life there?
I understand that many areas around Palawan are still being blast fished.
For example, while we were in Coron this February, we could clearly hear explosions (and feel them) on many dives.
Blast fishing outside of the islands is rampant and - because most people doing it are connected to local politicians - it's tolerated. I raised this matter with the people in the bangka collecting the local park fee (every day). They did not seem to care less.
However, the marine life on/around the Coron wrecks is very good (due to the wreck being protected by the proximity of local pearl farms).
We dived outside the islands and the area is a total marine desert - hardly any coral or fish. Totally ruined by over fishing and destructive fishing practices.
We were also told that El Nido has been affected by this. Is this true or not, and if so, what are local divers/the local community doing to protect/preserve/restore reefs and reef life?
We are a little luckier here than most as blast fishing stopped several years ago when Mayor Duterte warned people to stop. They stopped.
WWD
Yes, you’re quite right to assume that blast fishing commonly known as “boong-boong” is still quite rampant. However, this is more so down south of Palawan.
It’s just ironic that this so called Last Frontier will someday be just like the rest of the islands, which is desolate of the all the natural beauty that it once boasted of.
Sad to say, everything being done by the different gov’t agencies is just ‘ningas cogon’. My dad who works down south has nothing but pure frustration with the way the local officials are handling environmental problems.
However, we were only able to do some snorkeling around the islands in Puerto Princesa where we did some island hopping and I am glad to say that the marine sanctuaries are still intact. We did a lot of fish feeding which would make you quite excited because the fish are totally friendly that they would go as shallow as 4 ft. A school of jack fish is as beautiful as ever.
Up north, particularly El Nido, there’s still a lot of nice dive spots as the local communities there are quite aware of what blast fishing and live fish business through the use of cyanide or sodium would do to the tourism industry. They are more educated now in this area, thanks to the persistence of dedicated local officials.
Hopefully, something can be done that would truly curb these malpractices. If only NGO’s would have the police power, it would be a great deterrent for would be violators.
Pleased to hear that attitudes are changing and that local people's attitudes are changing.
Just to say to others reading this thread that Palawan is a large island and not all (mainly the south) is being affected by unlawful fishing practices.
Also to say that there are many people who care and who are taking positive action to protect, conserve and restore reefs/reef life.
Can you say if you have the cooperation of your local mayor in protecting the reefs around El Nido?
We are currently working together (pro divers, resorts, dive shops) to actively draw up local guidelines, rules and good practice to protect reefs and reef life. This includes the local mayors.
A good example to look at is the Boracay Association of Scuba Diving Schools (BASS). This can be a model for others to follow, though what we are oing here is a little more involved in some ways.
WWD
Puerto Princesa and El Nido have different Mayors but I am sure that El Nido's Alkalde is doing her part in preserving the beauty of our last frontier as well as Mayor Hagedorn of Puerto Princesa is doing his share in protecting the tourist destinations..Originally Posted by World Wide Diver
you guys should try El Nido... the place is super! www.elnidoresorts.com
Last edited by santelmo; 05-01-2007 at 06:10 AM.
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