Verde Island hiniling na maging “legislated protected area”

Inihirit ni Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) at limang gobernador na ideklarang protected area ang Verde Island Passage na ayon sa mga eksperto ay maituturing  “center of the center of marine shore fish biodiversity” sa buong mundo.

Ayon kay Environment Sec. Antonia Loyzaga, sa ngayon ay deklarado na marine protected area ang Verde Island. Pero nais aniya ng limang gobernador ng Batangas, Oriental Mindoro, Occidental Mindoro, Marinduque at Romblon na gawing “legislated protected area” ang lugar. “This highest level of protection for what is touted as the center of the world’s marine biodiversity will keep VIP as a sanctuary to thousands of marine species and off limits to business activities that will threaten its pristine ecosystem,” pahayag ni  Loyzaga. Nabatid na ang Verde Island ay tahanan ng mahigiy 300 coral species, 170 fish species at libu-libong  marine organisms gaya ng   pating at pawikan. “That will involve five provinces moving together to get this whole area legislated. Why is it important? Critical reefs, critical seagrass beds, mangroves, fisheries, these are spawning areas for fish, livelihood is dependent on that, and it has an implication on climate change as well,” pahayag ni Loyzaga.