Zambales creates two protected marine areas to boost biodiversity

IBA, Zambales — Two new marine protected areas (MPAs) have officially been added under the Zambales Marine Protected Area Network (ZAMPAN), expanding coordinated efforts to conserve marine biodiversity and promote sustainable fisheries in the province.

The Calanga Reef Marine Protected Area in the capital town of Iba and the Rabaw-ti-Bato Marine Protected Area in San Narciso made it to the biodiversity network early this month through ZAMPAN Resolution No. 1, Series of 2026, issued by Gov. Hermogenes Ebdane.

Marife Castillo, head of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) office in Zambales, said the two reef areas were endorsed for inclusion because of their ecological importance as marine ecosystems for breeding, spawning, nursery and feeding grounds for various sea species.

Calanga Reef, which spans roughly 40 hectares, contains a live hard coral cover of close to 49 percent, while Rabaw-ti-Bato, which means “top of the corals” in local dialect, is historically considered a fish spawning ground.

"Protecting these areas as part of a larger network strengthens habitat connectivity, improves ecosystem resilience and supports coordinated management of coastal resources across municipalities," Castillo said.

Zambales, which has an extensive coastline of more than 232 kilometers, already hosts the Masinloc and Oyon Bay Protected Landscape and Seascape (MOBPLS), which covers more than 7,500 hectares of marine waters, mangroves and corals between the towns of Masinloc and Palauig.

Under the ZAMPAN declaration, both the Calanga Reef and Rabaw-ti-Bato MPAs will have core sanctuary zones to be preserved as dedicated breeding, spawning and fish-nursery grounds.

These will be “no-take zones” where all extractive and destructive activities like fishing, gathering of shells or any marine life, as well as vessel access for both motorized and non-motorizes boats are prohibited. Diving or swimming is also restricted unless authorized for scientific purposes.

The buffer zones ringing the core sanctuaries, meanwhile, are declared to be areas only for regulated activities: local fishing using only traditional, passive gears like hook and line; and recreational diving, snorkeling, and sightseeing under a strict “look but don’t touch” policy. Boats entering the buffer may only latch onto designated permanent mooring buoys instead of dropping anchors.

Castilo said establishing two more MPAs in Zambales will further strengthen habitat connectivity, improve ecosystem resilience, and support coordinated management of coastal resources across municipalities.

ZAMPAN, which was established through a memorandum of understanding in 2013, serves as a collaborative platform for marine conservation and coastal resource management in the province. 

The network includes the DENR, Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources, Department of the Interior and Local Government, Provincial Government of Zambales, and the local government units of 11 coastal towns: Sta. Cruz, Candelaria, Masinloc, Palauig, Iba, Botolan, Cabangan, San Felipe, San Narciso, San Antonio and Subic.