In the Philippines, a New Protected Seascape Safeguards ‘Super Reefs’

The Philippines has designated more than 200 square miles of its coastal waters as a national protected area to safeguard some of the world’s most climate resilient coral reefs.

The new Panaon Island Protected Seascape hosts vibrantly colored and dense coral reefs teeming with schools of juvenile fish, sea turtles, sea anemones and other marine life—a sharp contrast to many of the country’s reefs, which have been steadily declining over the last four decades.

“This is one of the rare places where coral reefs remain in excellent condition, and we now have a chance to keep them that way,” said Von Hernandez, vice president of Oceana Philippines, in a statement. Oceana, an international ocean conservation nonprofit, proposed the new law that created the protected seascape last month.

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