RDC OSLOB RESOLUTION So should the RDC supposed to feel double facepalmed by this "empirical determination" of Alan Amanse, Donsol BIO board chairperson of Donsol, Sorsogon? And, are we compelled withdraw its resolution on Oslob under the new climate lens. The RDC will certainly take this up as urgent matter in the next full council meeting. And the officials of Donsol will be requested as resource persons. Gov. Salceda (sighed, not signed) Chairman, RDC V Re: PDI article Decline in Sorsogon butanding number traced to rising sea temperature By Mar S. Arguelles DONSOL, Sorsogon -- Rising sea temperature due to climate change, stress and lack of food are the major reasons for the declining sightings of butanding or whale shark at the coastal waters of Donsol town in Sorsogon, a butanding interaction officer said on Tuesday. Donsol, a third class town in Sorsogon with a population of over 47,000, is 47 kms from Legazpi City. Alan Amanse, Donsol BIO board chairperson, said in an interview that the rising sea temperature, stress and insufficient planktons are the factors that cause the whale sharks to transfer to cooler areas and swim to the deep sea or look for areas with abundant food. Amanse claimed that the sea temperature has significantly increased from the ideal temperature range of 26 to 27 degrees centigrade last year to 29 to 30 degrees centigrade this year. As a result of this condition, Amanse said, the sightings of butanding in Donsol has considerably dropped from eight sightings last year to only two during the first half of this year, endangering the tourism industry of the town. At present, here are only two 8-meter long and 2-meter wide whale sharks swimming off Donsol waters. These are “Curly,” a butanding with curly dorsal fin, and “Lucky,” with a nylon cord tied on the tail. Gone are those measuring 14-meter long and the likes of the famous “Putol” and “Nognog,” Amanse said. Another cause for the depletion, he said, is that the butandings are suffering from stress because of the many interaction events that the BIOs conducts during the butanding season, which is from May to December. He said there are around 40 boats, each with six tourist visitors on board, that interact with the whale sharks in every event. Rey Aquino, town councilor, claimed that the rampant gathering of planktons by fisherfolk and the presence of ecoli contamination in the Donsol river due to existence of household toilets along riverbanks contributed further in the problem of scarcity of food (planktons) in the butanding feeding grounds. Amanse said the tourism industry has been significantly affected by this situation, with the town losing millions of revenues in tourism activities. The situation brought tourist arrivals dropping by 2,000 during the first half of this year or close to 10-percent from an average of 25,000 since 2007, Amanse said. Amabel de la Cruz, Donsol Tourism Council revenue collector, said in an interview that the town’s registered tourist arrivals translate to some P4 million in revenues received in 2012. De la Cruz said the revenue collection for the past six months of this year amounted only to P2 million, but she hopes that this year’s collection will match last year’s revenues at the end of the year. Another environment issue that confronts Donsol is the cutting of mangrove trees in Barangay Ogod for the purpose of making it a parking area of bancas by residents. The town aside from being tagged as the Butanding Capital of the country has other tourist attractions like the “Firefly Watch” in Ogod River and an 800-square-kilometer fish sanctuary at the vicinity of the coastal villages of Sibago, Tinanogan and San Rafael.
Posted on: Wed, 24 Jul 2013 23:02:45 +0000
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