SOMACORE Supports Climate Risk Assessment in the Turtle Islands Wildlife Sanctuary
The Turtle Islands Wildlife Sanctuary (TIWS), an ASEAN Heritage Park and one of the Philippines' most important marine biodiversity sites, hosted a multi-institutional mission, June 21 to 27, to strengthen protected area management and support long-term conservation efforts.
Jointly organized by the ASEAN Centre for Biodiversity through the ASEAN ENMAPS Project and the GIZ-implemented Solutions for Marine and Coastal Resilience in the Coral Triangle (SOMACORE) Programme, the mission brought together national and regional government agencies, local stakeholders, and conservation partners to conduct community perception mapping, management assessments, and stakeholder consultations.
As part of SOMACORE's support in the Sulu-Sulawesi Seascape, the Philippine Department of Agriculture – National Fisheries Research and Development Institute (DA-NFRDI) conducted the preliminary scoping activities for the Climate Risk Vulnerability Assessment (CRVA) for fisheries in the Turtle Islands from 23 to 25 June 2026. The scoping activities gathered baseline information on local fisheries, coastal communities, and climate-related risks that will inform the succeeding phases of the assessment. Once completed, the CRVA will provide evidence to support climate-informed fisheries management and strengthen the resilience of coastal communities in the sanctuary.
In the Philippines, SOMACORE is implemented through the Department of Environment and Natural Resources – Biodiversity Management Bureau (DENR-BMB) and the Department of Agriculture – Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (DA-BFAR). The programme supports marine biodiversity conservation and climate resilience in Tawi-Tawi and Palawan within the Sulu-Sulawesi Seascape, promoting science-based and collaborative approaches to sustainable marine and coastal resource management.
