Sulubaaï – Sea Academy Program
Located in the Philippines, the Palawan archipelago is a world-renowned biodiversity hotspot. However, the pressures on its biodiversity are constantly increasing. The main threats stem from overfishing and destructive practices, including blast fishing, cyanide fishing, and compressor fishing. In response to these challenges, the Sulubaaï Environmental Foundation (SEF), founded in 2012 and based on Pangatalan Island, has set itself the mission of protecting, conserving, and restoring natural resources by engaging local communities in more environmentally friendly practices. The project's philosophy is to involve local stakeholders and combine various complementary solutions to achieve sustainable management of the bay's marine resources.
To accomplish this mission, five objectives were envisioned. First, to create a network of marine protected areas (MPAs) with a high level of protection in collaboration with local communities and to strengthen the capacities of local management boards. Second, to restore damaged coral reefs using artificial structures and to repopulate fish in these MPAs. Third, to assess the condition of coral reefs, fishery resources, fishing catches, and the food security of the local population. Fourth, to support fisherfolk communities in the transition towards more sustainable management of marine resources through training and alternative livelihood programmes. Finally, to raise awareness and educate local schools and stakeholders about marine conservation and the effective management of MPAs.
The movie
Sulubaaï Marine Research Center
Since 2023, Blancpain has funded the construction of the Blancpain x Sulubaaï Marine Research Center in the village of Sandoval. This centre, strategically located near the main research areas and the four marine protected areas (MPAs) established with Blancpain’s support at the time of its inauguration, within a network that has since expanded to 8 MPA, aims to enhance the study, restoration, and protection of these marine ecosystems. Launched in 2025, the center has already hosted scientific missions, school workshops, youth camps, fisherfolks trainings, and meetings of the Shark Fin Bay MPA Management Board. The operations and activities of the Blancpain x Sulubaaï Marine Research Center are supported by the sales of the limited edition BOC IV.
A Network of Marine Protected Areas
The project facilitated the establishment of several marine protected areas managed by local communities, gradually expanding from the initial Pangatalan MPA into a structured network across Shark Fin Bay, which form a network with the existing Pangatalan MPA. In 2025, community consultations were initiated for four new MPAs (Batas, Macuao, Debangan, and Pabellon), representing nearly 1,000 hectares of additional protection currently in the process of institutionalization. Combined, the Shark Fin Bay network, which has progressively expanded from a single MPA to 4 in 2025 and now totals 8 MPAs, cover a significantly expanded area, where fishing is strictly regulated. Within a 500-meter radius around the core MPAs, only small-scale fishing (using lines and gillnets) is permitted, while the use of fish traps, which can catch hundreds of kilograms of fish at once, is banned to encourage fish dispersion around the protected areas. In recognition of its effectiveness, the Shark Fin Bay MPA network received the Para El Mar “Outstanding Network” award in the Philippines, as well as the prestigious international “Blue Park” Gold Award from the Marine Conservation Institute.
Reef Restoration
Sulubaaï has developed an artificial reef model called “Sulu-Reef-Prosthesis” (SRP) designed to stabilize coral debris fields impacted by dynamite or climatic events and to propagate coral colonies on-site. Studies of around thirty species revealed a 76% survival rate for coral cuttings on the artificial reefs, as well as natural recruitment of coral larvae and other organisms such as algae and sponges. In 2024, approximately 300 SRP artificial reefs have been installed in the bay, supporting around 3,000 coral colonies.
In addition to coral restoration, the project employs the "post-larvae capture and culture" (PCC) technique developed by Ecocean, which involves capturing wild fish post-larvae and raising them to the juvenile stage to enhance their survival chances. Over the first 24 months of operation, the fishlab captured and cultured a total of 29,457 fish post-larvae from around 80 different species, largely exceeding initial targets. About half of the fish raised have already been released into the MPAs after reaching the juvenile stage.
In 2023, Sulubaaï established an operational "fishlab," which is now mastering this technique thanks to dedicated training and has significantly scaled up its capacity. Part of the production, notably rabbitfish, also supports local aquaculture initiatives to provide alternative livelihoods and reduce fishing pressure.
Social and Ecological Diagnosis
The project carried out an ecological assessment of marine habitats, including seagrass beds and coral reefs, using both simple techniques (visual observation) and advanced methods (photogrammetry, acoustics, environmental DNA). Monitoring within the marine protected areas classified the seagrass beds as sparse (<25%) and the coral cover as varying from low (18%) to high (36%) depending on the site.
In 2025 and 2026, the annual underwater fish visual census was expanded from 36 to around 70 monitoring sites, including the newly established MPAs, as part of a long-term 7-year monitoring program.
Acoustic monitoring mapped zones based on fauna activity (fish and invertebrates) and revealed an average of two dynamite explosions per day in the bay in 2022, before the establishment of community marine protected areas and surveillance.
In the Pangatalan marine protected area, which has been protected since 2019, there is: 3 times more biomass, 1.3 times more species, and 1.7 times more fish compared to other areas in the bay. Long-term monitoring confirms a strong “reserve effect”, with significantly higher fish abundance, biomass and size within protected areas, as well as an observable spillover effect benefiting surrounding zones.
The study demonstrated that the increase in fish populations within the protected zone "spills over" to neighboring areas, benefiting fishermen who may potentially catch more fish. However, the food security of residents is not guaranteed due to the export of fish to external markets. Household surveys using the Food Insecurity Experience Scale (FIES) highlight persistent food insecurity in several barangays, underlining the need to ensure that ecological gains translate into sustainable and reliable local food resources.
The foundation also strengthened its data contribution by integrating benthic and bleaching data into the Global Coral Reef Monitoring Network (GCRMN) and by contributing to the Reef Scan – Reef Cloud international platform.
Fisherfolks Supporting Program
The goal is to empower local populations to manage their bay sustainably, which involves extensive training sessions initiated during the project. The fishermen received training to help them organize their associations and find alternatives to fishing.
In 2025, Sulubaaï reinforced this approach through the launch of the “Dagat Leaders” program, a two-year initiative training local fisherfolks to become key actors in the sustainable management of marine resources.
In parallel, three fisherfolks associations are being supported in the development of eco-responsible aquaculture projects, notably through the farming of milkfish and rabbitfish in floating cages, providing alternative livelihoods and reducing fishing pressure.
These programs are complemented by training in business management, bookkeeping and marketing, strengthening the long-term resilience of local communities.
Throughout its duration, the project conducted information campaigns in the villages, highlighting the objectives and results of the marine protected areas through conferences, workshops, and documentary screenings.
Education
Approximately one thousand students and their teachers from three participating villages took part in an educational program focused on marine ecosystems. Each year, courses and workshops covered topics such as seagrass beds, mangroves, and coral reefs. A mural contest celebrated the marine environment within the schools. Additionally, a storybook, conceived by about thirty students and created by Sulubaaï, was developed with the theme of exploring the marine environment.
In 2025, Sulubaaï launched the “Blue Gen” program (Blue Generation for the Ocean), a two-year initiative aimed at training high school students to become young ambassadors for ocean conservation within their communities.
Educational activities have since been expanded across several partner schools, offering immersive experiences and hands-on discovery of marine ecosystems.
Looking ahead, the project aims to establish the first Educational Marine Area in the Philippines, in partnership with local schools and international institutions, further anchoring environmental stewardship among younger generations.
The Sulubaaï Environmental Foundation
and Pangatalan Island
The Sulubaaï Environmental Foundation is a Franco-Philippine non-profit organisation, born of a passion for the ocean and a desire to help local communities. It is dedicated to the conservation and protection of Palawan's natural resources through environmentally friendly practices and active ecosystem restoration. Its work is mainly focused on Pangatalan Island and Shark Fin Bay. Since its inception in 2012, Sulubaaï has progressively developed broader community-based actions for ecosystem restoration, first on land and then in the waters of the bay. Pangatalan Island has been and remains the pilot site for the foundation's activities, which are intended to be extended to the entire bay and replicated in other sites in collaboration with local populations.