First of the country's hatchery-grown Philippines' true Tridacna gigas clams makes its home in north Palawan waters

North Palawan — More than a year after the historic first in-situ spawning of the Philippines’ true Tridacna gigas in June 2019, the first batch of baby giant clams measuring 1.2-2.7-inches were finally restocked in north Palawan waters in marine management zones in Malampaya Sound Protected Landscape and Seascape (MSPLS) and the El Nido-Taytay Managed Resource Protected Area (ENTMRPA) in north Palawan.

The clam restocking activities were conducted on September 7, 2020 at MSPLS with 400 individuals and October 5, 2020 at ENTMRPA with 605 juveniles after the ECQ Covid lockdown and passing of coral bleaching events that affected the whole country. Included in the restocking were 640 (MSPLS) and 600 (ENTMRPA) juvenile abalones which were released directly on corals.

Grown at Western Philippines University’s hatchery and marine station in Puerto Princesa, Palawan, the conservation effort will help revive the native Tridacna gigas giant clam species population declared extinct in the 1980’s but was confirmed to be present with 5 individuals in Honda Bay, Palawan in mid 2017 by late National Scientist Dr. Edgardo Gomez, a former Malampaya Foundation trustee.