Artificial Reefs
Reefs are primarily a habitat for a wide variety of plants and animals. Reef inhabitants include many types of algae and several invertebrates, such as hard and soft corals, anemones, sponges and many species of arthropods, such as lobsters, crabs and shrimps. An amazing variety of fish is also characteristic of reefs. These organisms use this habitat for feeding, breeding and sleeping.
The reduction of these habitats has led to tremendous decline in the marine life population. This is why artificial reefs are so important. They provide food, shelter, protection and spawning areas for hundreds of species of fish and other marine organisms.
Artificial reefs are manmade habitat built from various materials including rock, old ships, heavy-gauge steel structure, and pre-cast concrete structure. They may also be constructed of a variety of prefabricated reef modules, designed to attract certain types of fish or other marine creatures. To create a permanent reef, the base material must not be tossed around by wave action, or rust away. The area selected for placement of the artificial reef must be relatively stable and hard, thus preventing the new reef base from sinking into the sand and rendering it useless.
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Agutayan island is around 20~30 minute ride from the shore of Barangay Bobontugan by motorized banca. This marine sanctuary, which is guarded round the clock by Bantay Dagat crew, covers an area of around 4 hectares. A number of artificial reefs are already resting on this sanctuary but not yet enough to optimize its productivity.
Nestle and other local divers headed by Oliver Caday conceived the project sometime on November 1999. The plan was to put ten (10) pyramidal concrete modules in a selected site within the sanctuary at a depth of 50-60 feet. Approval for the joint project was given by Nestle Cagayan de Oro Factory and Mayor Huberto Paurom of Jasaan in December. Construction of the modules started in Jan 00 at Bobontugan, Jasaan and full deployment is expected on Feb. 5, 2000. Monitoring dives to assess recruitment and colonization of the modules will be done for three (3) years.
The Artificial Reef Project is an undertaking supported by Nestle?s business partners and friends who share the value of environmental preservation and conservation. These earth-friendly entities are: PILIPINAS SHELL, BOLLOZOS TRUCKING, TRANSPECIAL HAULING SERVICE, MANTANGALE ALIBUAG DIVE RESORT, NATIONAL STARCH AND CHEMICAL CO., WG&A SHIPPING and PHILCOM.
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