PALAU, Babeldaob Island, Ebiil Channel - July 2001
Equipment and training for local rangers
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The island nation of Palau is famous for its coral reefs and incredibly diverse sea life. In 2000, Seacology funded demarcation buoys and training for rangers for the newly created Ngemai Marine Conservation Area. The Ngemai project proved highly successful and has inspired other villages to create their own marine conservation areas. Though modeled on the success of the Ngemai project, the recently established Ebiil Channel Marine Conservation Area is 15 times larger than Ngemai's and is the most important grouper aggregation site in Palau. Like the Ngemai project, the harvesting of fish will be prohibited in the Ebiil marine reserve. Though the Ebiil Channel Marine Conservation Area is now legally established, the community lacks the resources needed to make the conservation area a reality. With Seacology's support, the Palau Conservation Society (PCS) has worked with the local village to purchase and install 13 demarcation buoys, purchase equipment for a patrol boat and for appropriate signage, and train two rangers from the local community to monitor the conservation area.
UPDATE July 2004 - The legislature met in early 2003 and voted to extend the Ebiil Channel Marine Conservation Area for another three years as a no-take area. The Ebiil Society was formed as a community-based organization comprised of fishermen, teachers and others dedicated to the conservation of Ebiil Channel. They are working with local communities to implement conservation education, record traditional knowledge about reef species and habitats and to create a map of the northern reefs area documenting all known traditional place names.
UPDATE July 2005 - The Ebiil Society continues to work with local communities to manage the area, implement conservation education, and record traditional knowledge about reef species and habitats. Palau Conservation Society (PCS) also uses this site to demonstrate the ability to restore biodiversity through conservation. Community members report a ripple effect increase in the variety of fish in the surrounding marine areas just outside the conservation area.
UPDATE July 2007 - After her site visits in Micronesia, Seacology Senior Program Officer Karen Peterson reports that PCS director Tiare Holme stated that protection for the Ebiil Channel Marine Conservation Area, which was due to expire in 2006, has been extended in perpetuity.
