The widespread use of illegal fishing activities in Bohol started the deterioration of the province’s marine resources. However, ineffective law enforcement and the indifference of the local fisherfolk contributed to its aggravation. Coral reefs, sea grass beds and mangroves were destroyed and fish catch was at an alarming rate of decline.

      Authorities’ efforts to curb the problem were disjointed and intermittent, and thus unsuccessful. According to Bohol Island: Its Coastal Environment Profile, a report published in 2002, stopping illegal fishing was “a cat-and-mouse game between law enforcers and illegal fishers; the latter just moved around the province while the law enforcers tried to catch up with them.” On the other hand, the fisherfolk who were the most affected by the situation remained helpless and apathetic, believing that law enforcers are solely responsible for apprehending and arresting the perpetrators.

      All changed in 1997 when a Bohol Environment Summit was held to discuss the issues of illegal fishing and poor coastal law enforcement. This became the province’s catalyst for change as all stakeholders identified solutions and vowed to save Bohol’s marine resources. The fisherfolk community, local and national government, police and coastguards, and non-government organizations all gave the same pledge. This led to the establishment of three Coastal Law Enforcement Councils (CLECs), which served as managers and implementers of Bohol’s coastal management program. Members of CLEC from various sectors are elected in a forum attended by representatives of all the local government units in the district.

      Thus, CLEC became a multi-sectoral and multi-agency organization supported by the provincial government and exempted from any political intervention or manipulation. Consequently, the local fisherfolk gained a sense of ownership of the province’s resources as well as trust and confidence in the political system.

      To-date, Bohol is slowly rebuilding its marine resources. More than 100 fish sanctuaries have been set up, regular patrolling is conducted, and monitoring activities are in place. Coral reefs, sea grass beds, mangroves and fish stock are improving. Last year, the province alone was able to supply more than half of the fish requirements of the entire Central Visayas Region.

      Bohol’s dedication to the protection of its marine resources, and the environment as a whole, has not gone unnoticed. It was the first province in the entire Southeast Asian region to receive an ISO 14001 certification for its environmental management system. It was also given the Blue Heart Award by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources for “implementing a coastal management and best province-wide coastal law enforcement program”. Bohol is also a two-time recipient of the Gawad Galing Pook for environment-related projects.

      More important than the awards, however, is Bohol’s preservation of its natural resources, which is a gift to humanity and to generations to come.