Western Philippines University (WPU) and Malampaya Foundation Inc. (MFI) recently launched Adopt-A-Shell, a fundraising scheme to help bring back endangered and threatened shell species to reefs in core zones of effectively-managed marine protected areas (MPAs) in north Palawan, Oriental Mindoro and Batangas City.
Adopt-A-Shell allows the public to contribute to conservation efforts in the areas mentioned through individual and institutional adoption schemes for as little as P500 (US$10). Adoptions go directly to the culturing and care of juvenile shell species until deployment to target reefs in MPAs.
The WPU and MFI partnership has been culturing shells and restocking reefs since 2014, starting initially with the upgrading in two phases of WPU’s marine station and hatchery facilities in Puerto Princesa, Palawan, and production of two native shell species of abalone and trochus. Trial community grow-out for abalone was also conducted in Taytay and Linapacan.
In 2017, three (3) giant clam species were included in the production under the guidance of late National Scientist Dr. Edgardo Gomez, a former MFI trustee, who likewise confirmed in mid-2017 the existence of the Philippines’ true native Tridacna gigas giant clam species at Honda Bay in Puerto Princesa, Palawan, once declared extinct in the 1980’s by himself. From 2019 to 2020, several north Palawan sites have been initially re-stocked with Tridacna squamosa, Hippopus hippopus and the native Tridacna gigas giant clam species, together with abalone shells.