Taytay, Palawan—In August 2018, Malampaya Foundation Inc. (MFI) and Western Philippines University (WPU) with the technical support of University of the Philippines Marine Science Institute (UP MSI) conducted the maiden spawning of Tridacna squamosa giant clam species at WPU’s hatchery and marine station in Puerto Princesa, Palawan.
After more than a year-and-a-half of being “quarantined” in cages since August 2019 within a strict marine protection zone at the outer Malampaya Sound Protected Landscape and Seascape national park in Taytay, Palawan, the giant clams have shown tremendous and healthy growth rates. The clams are slated for restocking in protected reefs within marine management zones or marine protected areas (MPAs) in North Palawan and the Verde Island Passage.
The restocking effort named “String of Pearls” is part of MFI’s marine biodiversity conservation program spanning North Palawan, Oriental Mindoro an Batangas city. Among the conservation program’s component is rehabilitation of coastal ecosystems to include MPA establishment and expansion, MPA management, coral rehabilitation, mangrove and beach forest restocking support, waste management and restocking of native invertebrate species such as giant clams, abalone and topshells.
