SUBIC BAY FREEPORT – Become a good parent and adopt…. clams?
Yes, clams with shells under a project called Adopt-a-Giant-Clam launched recently by the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) “to help preserve marine biodiversity of Subic Bay”.
“Adoption period is for 5 years or until the giant clams are self sustaining, hence monitoring of the giant clams will be conducted periodically,” said SBMA environmental monitoring specialist Rhea Jane Pescadorm who launched the program during the recent forum as part of the International Coast Clean-up Day held at the Lighthouse Marina Resort here.
Pescadorm said the project will “ensure that the fast-paced economic development inside the Freeport zone would be in real harmony with nature.”
Groups, she said, are qualified to adopt clams through a “maintenance crew to be given proper training on giant-clam farm maintenance by the SBMA Ecology Center.”
Semi-annual reports are to be submitted by the “adoptive parents” to the Ecology Center to make sure the clams are surviving towards maturity.
Pescadorm described the giant clams as belonging to variety scientifically known as Tridacna gigas which, she noted, “are self sustaining with their mantle full of brown symbiotic algae which provides them food.”
“They are also hermaphrodites and at certain age of maturity from 8-10 years, they spawn millions of sperms and eggs into the reef. Their sperms and eggs are fish food which will eventually attract a number of fish in the area,” she added.
She also noted that “as indicator species, presence of giant clams in the bay waters would show good quality of water; hence seeding giant clams will passively monitor Subic Bay.”
Pescadorm also stressed that “giant clam seeding is the fastest and easiest method to re-populate the reef.”
She also said that “aside from marine biodiversity protection, the other important objective of the program is to encourage the direct participation of stakeholders in environmental action and management activities and to increase public awareness on the ecological importance of giant clam and marine resources.”
“Adoptive ‘parents’, including Subic freeport locators or other community stakeholders should be in group and each member must be at least 18 years old. Each group will adopt at least 10 pieces of giant clams – equivalent to one cohort – which will be seeded in a site designated only by the Ecology Center,” she explained.
Pescadorm said “at least 5 cohorts should be seeded at the same time in compliance with the requirements of Marine Science Institute (MSI) of the University of the Philippines. The giant clams will be provided by the MSI in coordination with the Ecology Center.”
The participants will be oriented and trained by the SBMA on how to conduct the re-seeding activity. All of them are supposed to have their own diving or snorkeling tools for the activity. Seeding activity will be facilitated by the SBMA Harbor Patrol and Ecology Center, she added.
Pescadorm also said that markers, logos or tags indicating the group name, number of clams planted and date will be installed in the area of their adopted clams.
“They can have the option of holding ceremonies during or prior to the activity,” she added.
Pescadorm said the giant clams will be procured from the MSI in Bolinao, Pangasinan and the SBMA Maintenance and Transportation Department will provide the truck for the transport of giant clams.
“They will be shipped in large Styrofoam containers filled with iced sea water, then placed in shallow waters overnight. The next day, each clam, varying from young small ones aged 2 years old and large ones about 4 years old will be measured and tagged,” she added.
Pescadorm said those interested to adopt clams may call the SBMA Ecology Center at (047) 252-4656.
Yes, clams with shells under a project called Adopt-a-Giant-Clam launched recently by the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) “to help preserve marine biodiversity of Subic Bay”.
“Adoption period is for 5 years or until the giant clams are self sustaining, hence monitoring of the giant clams will be conducted periodically,” said SBMA environmental monitoring specialist Rhea Jane Pescadorm who launched the program during the recent forum as part of the International Coast Clean-up Day held at the Lighthouse Marina Resort here.
Pescadorm said the project will “ensure that the fast-paced economic development inside the Freeport zone would be in real harmony with nature.”
Groups, she said, are qualified to adopt clams through a “maintenance crew to be given proper training on giant-clam farm maintenance by the SBMA Ecology Center.”
Semi-annual reports are to be submitted by the “adoptive parents” to the Ecology Center to make sure the clams are surviving towards maturity.
Pescadorm described the giant clams as belonging to variety scientifically known as Tridacna gigas which, she noted, “are self sustaining with their mantle full of brown symbiotic algae which provides them food.”
“They are also hermaphrodites and at certain age of maturity from 8-10 years, they spawn millions of sperms and eggs into the reef. Their sperms and eggs are fish food which will eventually attract a number of fish in the area,” she added.
She also noted that “as indicator species, presence of giant clams in the bay waters would show good quality of water; hence seeding giant clams will passively monitor Subic Bay.”
Pescadorm also stressed that “giant clam seeding is the fastest and easiest method to re-populate the reef.”
She also said that “aside from marine biodiversity protection, the other important objective of the program is to encourage the direct participation of stakeholders in environmental action and management activities and to increase public awareness on the ecological importance of giant clam and marine resources.”
“Adoptive ‘parents’, including Subic freeport locators or other community stakeholders should be in group and each member must be at least 18 years old. Each group will adopt at least 10 pieces of giant clams – equivalent to one cohort – which will be seeded in a site designated only by the Ecology Center,” she explained.
Pescadorm said “at least 5 cohorts should be seeded at the same time in compliance with the requirements of Marine Science Institute (MSI) of the University of the Philippines. The giant clams will be provided by the MSI in coordination with the Ecology Center.”
The participants will be oriented and trained by the SBMA on how to conduct the re-seeding activity. All of them are supposed to have their own diving or snorkeling tools for the activity. Seeding activity will be facilitated by the SBMA Harbor Patrol and Ecology Center, she added.
Pescadorm also said that markers, logos or tags indicating the group name, number of clams planted and date will be installed in the area of their adopted clams.
“They can have the option of holding ceremonies during or prior to the activity,” she added.
Pescadorm said the giant clams will be procured from the MSI in Bolinao, Pangasinan and the SBMA Maintenance and Transportation Department will provide the truck for the transport of giant clams.
“They will be shipped in large Styrofoam containers filled with iced sea water, then placed in shallow waters overnight. The next day, each clam, varying from young small ones aged 2 years old and large ones about 4 years old will be measured and tagged,” she added.
Pescadorm said those interested to adopt clams may call the SBMA Ecology Center at (047) 252-4656.
