NEWS
Wrapping up 2021, a year of change, challenges and impact!
2020 may have been the year the world changed but 2021 is the year we changed.
Along with the rest of the world, our team was continuously tested and we had to adapt to new ways of operating as we navigated one of the worlds longest COVID-19 lockdowns. We ended the year unexpectedly, with Super #TyphoonOdette that caused devastation across many of the regions we work in. To support our efforts to provide relief and restart the livelihoods of some of our stakeholder communities, please visit this page. Despite the roadblocks, we found a way forward, something we could not have done without the dedication of our team, partners and supporters. Now, as a new year dawns, we take a look back on some of the things we achieved last year.
LAMAVE headquarters arrives in Palawan!
After years of planning and a pandemic to test our organisational skills, the team finally moved our headquarters from Dumaguete City to Puerto Princesa City, Palawan. The four-day journey took us across four provinces and the Sulu Sea. A 20ft truck loaded with 10 years of work, multiple s-passes, endless PPE and an excited but tired team finally saw us reach the port of Puerto Princesa and our new home. We are excited to be here, with many partners and friends around and a lot of work to do.
Leaving the Visayas was hard and represented an end of an era as over the years, LAMAVE has been based in multiple provinces, from Bohol, Cebu, to Negros Oriental. We will miss puto maya and sikwate (sticky rice and hot chocolate) in the morning, some of the best BBQ ;) and all the istorya in bisaya . Of course, we will still very much be active in our field sites across the region and visits will be that much sweeter along with the pasalubong we bring back! Thank you to everyone that contributed to the success of the trip, we could not have done it without you.
For our stakeholder in the Visayas, Amping. Kita kits! Magbalik mi!
Celebrating having a fully vaccinated team
A rather exciting and emotional achievement for the team was having all members fully vaccinated for COVID-19. Working on the frontline of conservation holds a heavy responsibility and having access to a vaccine was a game-changer for the team, not only for our personal health but also for the health and safety of others, especially our stakeholders. While safety protocols mean fieldwork remains challenging, we are thrilled to be better equipped to continue our efforts and support the marine life and communities we serve. We send our gratitude to the nation’s health workers and individuals that are working on the vaccine rollout.
Slipping back into our freediving fins
In September last year, the team made it back into the water to continue our research in Honda Bay to study the astonishing biodiversity right off the Palawan coast. The project, which is supported by Green Reach Korea and led by Ariana Agustines, is collecting data that will help decision-makers zone and manage the bay effectively for marine life and stakeholders alike. Highlights include encountering mixed pods of dolphins. We also managed to fit in some filming for the Sharks of the Sulu Sea documentary and impact campaign project.
Supporting national agencies in tackling the Illegal Wildlife Trade
Earlier in 2021, local authorities apprehended collectors of banned fishery products worth nearly P13 million in an operation in Barangay Punta Engaño, Lapu-Lapu City including shells, giant clams, corals, sharks and turtles. LAMAVE were on site to assist authorities with species identification of sharks and turtles and to collect genetic information to help understand the population source of the species – work that is contributing to a national and international project to tackle the illegal wildlife trade.
Photo 1-4: Documentation of apprehended items of banned fishery products worth nearly P13 million in collaboration with local authorities.
Responding to marine animal stranding in the time of COVID-19
Our efforts to respond to marine animal strandings has continued, both via phone support and where possible in person. This year saw courageous efforts by stakeholders to save animals in need, from green turtles to dwarf sperm whales, covering provinces from Palawan, Bohol to Negros Oriental.
Our stranding team, Jamie Dichaves, Sue Ong and Alessandro Ponzo put in countless hours to transfer knowledge and support stakeholders on the frontline, provide rehabilitation support for turtles where possible and release animals back into the ocean.
Photo 1: Dr Alessandro Ponzo and Sue Ong assist stakeholders in Amlan, Negros Oriental to release a marine mammal back into the sea. Photo 2: the team respond to a distressed stranded turtle found by local community members. Photo 3: Project Leader Sue Ong records the location of a turtle nest that was relocated as it was at risk of flooding by the high tide. Photo 4: a baby turtle hatches from the relocated nest and makes its way to the ocean.
New team members
2020 may have seen the departure of some of our team; however, 2021 brought the arrival of new members. Zach Riskin and his dog Arthur joined the team as a new Manta Ray Project Leader, Kevin Sato stepped into the role of Communication Officer, while Titus Cañete, who led our whale shark site in 2019, re-joined the team after a few years away and Jamie Dichaves is the latest addition to our turtle team.
Photo 1+2: Zach Riskin returning from a research dive, Titus Cañete returning from the same dive. Photo 3 + 4: Kevin Sato documenting apprehended shark jaws, and Jamie Dichaves responding to a stranded marine turtle in Palawan.
Zooming around the world
The year definitely gave us the chance to grow our skills in digital conservation. With partners at the Institute of Biology, University of the Philippines Diliman, NOAA, WWF US, WWF Coral Triangle, US Fish and Wildlife and many regional research groups, we created the Asia-Pacific Marine Turtle Genetic Working Group. Together, we hosted a series of online workshops to transfer knowledge and aid collaboration on how genetics can be used for the conservation of turtles, tackling threats such as illegal wildlife trade by identifying routes and population connectivity across country boundaries, and better delineating population stocks and their boundaries. The group's mission is to find solutions to turtle conservation collectively utilizing genetic and genomics tools.
Working with the next generation of conservationists
Continued restrictions means we have not been able to host our volunteers and scholars who make up a key part of the #LAMAVEfamily; however, the team adapted to connect and work with students in a virtual setting. We’ve had the pleasure of hosting online internships with over 50 students from the University of Santo Tomas (10 students), University Of The City Of Manila (11 students), Bulacan State University (2 students), Central Luzon State University (4 students) and Visayas State University (25 students).
Our capacity building program has been further expanded with the team currently supervising five masters students who will carry out their thesis on different aspects of marine turtle ecology and conservation. In collaboration with Dr. Ian Fontanilla from UP-IB, 2 master students will look at population genetics of marine turtles in the Philippines and linkages to the illegal wildlife trade. In collaboration with Dr. Jhonamie Mabuhay-Omar from Western Philippines University, College of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences, 3 MSc marine biology students will join our team to work on stranding, nesting and the impact of climate change on marine turtle long term conservation plan in Palawan.
Internationally, we continue to work with scholars from the Ocean Giant Programme, which partners students from the University of Plymouth Marine Institute with marine conservation organisations. We look forward to welcoming them in person when possible.
Looking ahead to 2022
The pandemic might have tested the team and pushed us to adapt how we achieve our conservation actions, but we couldn’t have made it through the year without our funders, partners and your generous support. We are nothing without our amazing community and we are grateful for every one of you who have made our work possible and supported our team in these challenging times.
This year we want to connect with you on a more intimate level and we will be bringing you stories from the field and much more through the #LAMAVE newsletter. Be sure to sign up, so you don’t miss a thing.
Support #TyphoonOdette Relief Efforts
Those wanting to support communities impacted by Super Typhoon Odette (Rai) can learn how HERE.
