Posted on October, 18 2001

Manila, Philippines: At a depth of 25 feet, marine biologist Doug Fenner gestures excitedly to a mushroom coral sitting on the sea bottom. At the surface he exclaims with a wide grin, "Fungidae taiwanensis!" This is Fenner's third dive in Anilao, Batangas and he is ecstatic over the presence of mushroom corals that have so far only been recorded in the coastal waters of Taiwan.

Fenner, an American who works with the Australian Institute for Marine Sciences (AIMS), specializes in coral taxonomy. Fenner was commissioned by the Tubbataha Project of the conservation organization WWF-Philippines to survey the reefs in that famous atoll in the middle of the Sulu Sea. In between his projects in Tubbataha and Dumaguete, Fenner stopped by Anilao to help with the coral survey of the WWF project there. His experience in Asia, in Malaysia, Philippines, Indonesia, and Palau, in particular, makes him the ideal consultant for coral taxonomy. Of the 790 species of corals Fenner can identify at least 450 by sight alone.

But Fenner is not your stereotypical bookish, dust-covered scientist. When Fenner arrives in Anilao, he has no scientific instruments, no high-tech gadgets with him. In fact, he dives with the bare essentials-mask, snorkel, fins, tank, an old regulator, and a buoyancy control device with a defective inflator. He doesn't even use a wetsuit. When he conducts his surveys, he only uses an underwater slate and a waterproof index of coral species.

Underwater, Fenner is in his element. Hovering effortlessly above the corals he surveys the reef in a methodical and precise manner. Starting from the deeper parts of the coral reefs, he works his way up to the shallows in a random pattern that he alone understands. "I learned in Malaysia that to find new (coral) species you have to take time in the shallows", he says to explain his unorthodox diving method. Careful not to overlook even the smallest specimen of coral, he often misses the spectacle of fishes going about around him.

When it comes to corals, Fenner can outtalk anyone. He has the patience to explain the intricacies of coral biology to anyone who cares to listen. But he's also willing to learn from the locals. Fenner was fascinated as our boatman explained local beliefs about corals and pointed out areas of thriving coral patches.

By the time Fenner left Anilao, he reported 29 species of corals that have never been documented in Philippine publications. The coral species Eguchipsammia sp., in particular, is quite rare. In fact this was Fenners's first encounter with a live specimen in its natural habitat. The uncommon species Halomitra clavator is also another favourite. And it is only in Anilao where you can find a dense population of a few hundred specimens. But more important than these discoveries is Fenner's conclusion, which he cited in a report to WWF-Philippines. "Anilao area reefs support a very high coral diversity, as high or even higher than the best reef sites yet studied within the "Coral Triangle" area of highest reef diversity."

In the Tubbataha reef, after 19 dives, Fenner counted a total of 240 coral species. In Anilao, Batangas, after 18 dives, Fenner was able to identify 290 species of corals. Is it possible that Anilao's coral reefs are more diverse than Tubbataha's, a World Heritage site? The waters of Tubbataha are known all over the world as one of the most productive marine ecosystems in the planet. Could the same be said of Anilao?

There are 411 coral species recorded in the Philippines. More than half are found in Anilao. The dive site named Cathedral, with 67 species is more diverse than the entire Caribbean Sea with only 50 or so species for that entire area. In the world of corals this may be the Mount Everest of coral biodiversity.

The question is, what do we do with this knowledge? Other than simply being a collection of species names and numbers, Fenner's findings can be used as a tool for conservation.

WWF is approaching conservation in Anilao in two ways. At the ground level, the organization works with local communities to strengthen marine law enforcement, and eventually create a coastal resource management plan. At the same time, WWF also works with the provincial government of Batangas to come up with a bay-wide management plan for the entire Balayan Bay. Fenner's data is essential to focus management priorities on areas rich in species forms.

Fungidea taiwanensis, Eguchipsammia sp., Halomitra clavator, meaningless names to most of us. Fenner, however, sees beyond this seeming gibberish right into the core of conservation. Fenner has transformed these scientific names into tangible strategies for conservation. "Anilao area reefs have exceptionally rich coral fauna, among the richest known in the entire world," says Fenner, "and thus deserve continuing efforts to preserve them."

(850 words)

*Alan Silayan is a Research Assistant, Balayan Bay Integrated Coastal Management Project, WWF-Philippines.