American to study D'bantayan dive sites

CEBU - After a British marine biologist conducted research on the famous thresher sharks present in Malapascua Island in 2005, a US student has expressed interest to conduct another research, this time at the dive sites of Daanbantayan town.

Malin Pinsky of Stanford University has secured a permit from Mayor Sun Shimura to conduct research on the effects of low population density on the connectivity of coral reef fishes.

Pinsky stated that the purpose of the research is to design marine conservation and marine reserve.

The study will be done from October 10 to 12 at the two dive sites at the east coast of Daanbantayan mainland and in Malapascua Island.

Pinsky is being assisted by the Coastal Conservation and Education Foundation that has an office in Cebu City.

In September 2005, the then mayor, now Vice Mayor Maria Luisa Loot extended an open invitation for the conduct of a three-year doctoral study on thresher sharks thriving at the Monad Shoal in the interest of spearheading scientific understanding and marine environmental protection in the area.

The invitation was premised on the government’s recognition of the need to protect the Monad Shoal and its biota.

Simon Oliver, a candidate of a Master’s degree in marine environmental protection at the University of Wales’ School of Ocean Sciences in the United Kingdom, conducted the study of the behavior of thresher sharks starting July 14, 2005.

Oliver stressed the importance of Monad Shoal off Malapascua Island in Daanbantayan to the sharks as bathroom and bathing to humans.

The thresher sharks at the Monad Shoal are the prime attraction of foreign tourists going to Malapascua Island, thus is important to tourism and economy.

But Oliver earlier said that he is worried over dynamite fishing activity in the area as he witnessed fishermen lobbed dynamites within the duration of his study area.

One of the measures the local government is doing to address the problem is the strengthening of seaborne patrol in the area.

During the term of Loot as mayor, the municipality of Daanbantayan has thus declared that it will support future efforts by providing necessary permit in conjunction with policing and administrative efforts prompting her son, Shimura, to grant the request of Pinsky to conduct another marine research next month. — Gregg M. Rubio/MEEV (THE FREEMAN)