Background

The Philippines is one of the world’s most biologically rich countries, forming part of the renowned ‘Coral Triangle’ – an area that has been recognised as the global centre of marine biodiversity. With over 7,100 this beautiful archipelago is home to some stunning white beaches, pristine coral reefs, and abundant marine life - indeed, the Philippines has been labelled ‘the centre of the centre of marine shore fish diversity in the world.



Malapascua is famous in the diving world as it is one of the rare places where Thresher Sharks (Alopias pelagicus) can be seen regularly while scuba diving. The presence of these sharks has driven a rapid development of the dive tourism and provides significant income for the inhabitants of Malapascua. 

However, after numerous visits to this beautiful island we began to see for ourselves the threats posed to the marine environment by increasing tourism alongside unsustainable local fishing practices as well as broader climatic events. These stunning environments are struggling to cope under all these pressures. 

People and the Sea was created out of a passion for the marine environment, and a desire to see it conserved for future generations while still offering a sustainable livelihood to the communities who are so reliant on it. Working not only on Malapascua, but also in the wider region, the focus of our operations is to support the local community and relevant stakeholders in developing locally inspired methods of conserving their marine environment. 



Our Values

Community takes a central role in our expeditions – ‘ownership’ is critical. This means that the people of Malapascua must believe in any attempt to manage their seas. They must understand the benefits, they must see and feel the benefits, and they must feel that the decisions that are taken in relation their marine environment are their decisions.



Marine conservation can mean many different things to many different people. It means the collection of data to better understand the marine environment and the threats it faces. It means using science to analyse and apply this data to work out possible plans of action. It means finding ways to share information with all stakeholders at all levels, in a way that is accessible to them. It definitely means education – for people of all ages – both especially the younger generations. 

But perhaps less obvious, marine conservation has to be about improving the lives of coastal communities as these people are ultimately the guardians of their environment. Efforts to the improve the welfare and living standards of local communities are critical, as in doing so, you give the people that rely most on the sea the ability to focus on its well-being, rather than just their own.  



This holistic, integrated approach to marine conservation is a core value of the work of People and the Sea. Alongside our marine biophysical survey programme, we have developed a range of community focused initiatives alongside. It is our belief that these are entirely complimentary and necessary in any concerted attempt to achieve meaningful, compelling marine conservation. 

Longevity

It should be remembered that the issues surrounding the sustainable management of marine resources are often complex, with a number of conflicting interests involved. The solutions are rarely easy, and even more rarely are they quickly arrived at. This long-term outlook is a key consideration as we move forward. It is critical that any projects that we establish, can be seen through to the end, no matter how long that may be. 

From the very start of People and the Sea we have always taken care to ensure that we can provide longevity in the support we offer the local community. Conservation projects can all too often suffer from the constraints of ‘short term project funding’ that sees good work started, but not always carried through to its conclusion. This can mean that communities are motivated, engaged and ready to take positive action, only to see the support and guidance they need removed at the time it was needed most. 
 We are committed to providing the long-term support that is necessary.