The fish bowl of the Philippines

The Malampaya Sound Land and Seascape Protected Area

Located at the northwestern part of the Province of Palawan covering an area of about 200,155 hectares 56% (111,379 has.), the Malampaya Sound and Seascape Protected Area is made up of terrestrial (anything related to land) and coastal /marine areas. Thus, it is ecologically and economically important both as a watershed and a rich fishing ground.

In the past, it is dubbed as the "Fishbowl of the Philippines" a cliché' that Palawan as a whole is rich in marine resources.

However, it is no longer today, since over the past years, the population began to increase as people began to migrate.

An estimated 65 percent of Manila’s total fish consumption comes from Palawan.

With this, its rich resources began to dwindle as people began to compete and eventually employed different types of fishing gears.

Malampaya Sound is made up of a number of habitats and eco-systems such as tropical lowland forest, old growth mangroves, coral reefs, sea grass beds and coastal beaches. The area abounds with flora and fauna including species endemic to Palawan.

Interestingly, it is also known habitat of the bottle-nosed and Irrawady Dolphins, attesting to its rich biodiversity and uniqueness.

Now the Sound is no longer considered as a “fish bowl” because it can hardly sustain the daily fish production demands of the People.

Interestingly, it is also known habitat of the bottle-nosed and Irrawady Dolphins, attesting to its rich biodiversity and uniqueness.

“Malampaya” is a Tagbanua word which means “rich in fish”and the word “sound”means a protected watershed area with productive fishing ground. Malampaya Sound is a significant center of endemism. Its indigenous people are the Tagbanua.

an elderly member of the tribe playing the Babandil

Gimbal. A wooden drum made of monitor lizard's hide
Sources:
http://www.pcsd.ph/protected_areas/malampaya.htm
http://ofdolphinsandfishers.wordpress.com/2011/07/26/the-people-of-the-fish-bowl/

http://www.unepscs.org/Wetlands_Training/Wetland%20Case%20Studies%20and%20Country%20Reports/38-Management-Malampaya-Sound-Wetland-Philippines.pdf

http://thetagbanua.blogspot.com/2010/02/tagbanwa-musical-instruments.html