of the Verde Island Passage, Philippines - weADAPT

chapter 2 • human well-being and climate change: results and discussion
Table 51. Summary socio-economic vulnerability index (SEVI) matrix for fisheries in the Verde Island Passage.
Social/cultural Diversity of Dependency
Income Sectoral attachment livelihood levels on coastal
Type of fishing levels importance to activity option habitats SEVI
Aquarium fishers
Municipal fishing: demersals, coral reef fish
Commercial fishing: demersals, coral reef fish
Coastal aquaculture (seaweeds)
Coastal aquaculture (ponds)
Small pelagics fishing, municipal
Small pelagics fishing, commercial
Tuna fisheries (municipal)
Tuna fisheries (commercial)
medium (2)
high (3)
low to medium (1.5)
low to medium (1.5)
low (1)
high (3)
low (1)
high (3)
low (1)
low (1)
high (3)
high (3)
high (3)
medium to high (2.5)
high (3)
high (3)
high (3)
high (3)
high (3)
low to medium (1.5)
low to medium (1.5)
medium to high (2.5)
low (1)
low (1)
low (1)
low (1)
low (1)
high (3)
low to medium (1.5)
low to medium (1.5)
medium to high (2.5)
low (1)
low (1)
low (1)
low (1)
low (1)
high (3)
high (3)
high (3)
medium to high (2.5)
high (3)
medium to high
medium to high
medium to high
medium to high
medium to high (2.4)
medium to high (2.4)
medium to high (2.1)
medium to high (2.4)
low (1.7)
medium (2.1)
low (1.7)
medium (2.1)
low (1.7)
From a purely socio-economic perspective, therefore,
the most vulnerable fishing activities are aquarium
fishing, municipal fishing for demersals and coral reef
fish, and coastal aquaculture. Aquarium fishing is
highly dependent on coastal habitats (coral reefs), is
a community activity, and is practiced in communities
with few livelihood options. These factors influenced the
vulnerability ratings, despite the relatively high incomes
(low income vulnerability) and minimal contribution to
the economy. Municipal fishing for demersals and coral
reef fish also rated high due to the low incomes of
fishers (therefore, High vulnerability), high importance
in terms of employment and food security, and high
dependency on resource.
The second step was to arrive at the assessed impact
of climate change on coastal habitats associated
with particular kinds of fishing activities, to be used
as a biophysical overlay. This was achieved through
an assessment by experts on the status of fisheries
based on accessed data, consultations and workshops.
Scoring for the biophysical overlay followed the
procedure to get the SEVI. The result was then
averaged out with the SEVI to arrive at a Climate
Change Vulnerability Index (CCVI) as in Table 52.
Table 52. Summary climate change vulnerability index (CCVI) matrix for
fisheries in the Verde Island Passage.
Climate change
impact to associated
Type of fishing coastal habitat SEVI CCVI
Aquarium fishers
Municipal fishing: demersals, coral reef fish
Commercial fishing: demersals, coral reef fish
Coastal aquaculture (seaweeds)
Coastal aquaculture (ponds)
Small pelagics fishing, municipal
Small pelagics fishing, commercial
Tuna fisheries (municipal)
Tuna fisheries (commercial)
3.0
3.0
3.0
3.0
2.5
2.5
2.5
2.5
2.5
2.4
2.4
2.1
2.4
1.7
2.1
1.7
2.1
1.7
2.7
2.7
2.6
2.7
2.1
2.3
2.1
2.3
2.1
Overall vulnerability assessment
Following the suggested methodology, the vulnerability
of the fisheries sector was then assessed.
i. Aquarium fishing: HIGHLY VULNERABLE
Aquarium fishing was found to be HIGHLY
VULNERABLE to climate change because income
vulnerability ranged from Medium to High, there
was high dependence of coral reef conditions and
biodiversity of fish, which was in turn related to
biophysical processes likely affected by increasing sea
surface temperature. Income levels were also expected
to be negatively impacted by increasing operational
costs (e.g., travel to farther distances and inability to
stay in the water for long hours especially during bad
weather). Social attachment to activity was HIGH
especially in the case of Barangay San Andres. It was
also observed that in Barangays in Looc and Lubang
where this is practiced, the communities are highly
integrated. With respect to its sectoral importance,
aquarium fishing has low vulnerability due to the small
number of fishers involved and minimal impact on food
security.
Assuming the most conservative income for the “mano
mano” fisher, i.e., P4,600 per month, and further
assuming that a household consists of five individuals
including the fisher himself, the annual per capita
income was estimated at P11,040, lower than the
poverty threshold for all three provinces. If the incomes
used were on the higher side, i.e., P12,000, the poverty
threshold levels are attained for all provinces. For this
paper, we assumed the more optimistic approach
where, the vulnerability with respect to income was
scored as MEDIUM, i.e., an average of the conservative
estimate and the high-end estimate.
There was also HIGH vulnerability with respect to
diversity of livelihood options due mainly to the relative
isolation of the fishing communities (especially during
typhoon months), and lack of opportunities in the
trade and service sectors. This was more pronounced
in the case of Verde Island and Looc, where farming
opportunities are not as numerous as in Lubang.
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