A recent monitoring of the Sarangani Bay has found around 270 dolphins and whales thriving in the area.
Marine biologists and divers from the Department of Environment and Natural Resources-Region 12 and its partner agencies’ third quarter monitoring discovered there were some 50 to 200 Fraser’s or Sarawak dolphins in the waters of General Santos City and Glan, 40 to 60 spinner dolphins in Glan and Malapatan, six Risso’s dolphin in Glan, and four pygmy killer whales and two dwarf/pygmy sperm whales in Malapatan.
A protected area under Republic Act No. 11038 or the Expanded National Integrated Protected Area System Act of 2018, the bay covers 215,950 hectares with a 226.4-kilometer coastline.
The quarterly monitoring was initiated by the DENR and the Protected Area Management Board of the Sarangani Bay Protected Seascape to track the daily activities of establishments within the bay.
According to DENR regional executive director Sabdullah Abubacar, the latest monitoring showed that Sarangani Bay remains a key marine biodiversity area which should be protected against the proliferation of potentially hazardous wastes.
The monitoring team also observed non-biodegradable waste materials, and spotted several fishing vessels conducting various activities within the bay, which may harm the cetaceans and marine organisms.
Sarangani governor and PAMB vice chairperson Steve Chiongbian Solon pointed out that local government units in the area should intensify efforts to prevent wastes and conduct regular patrol to regulate the activities within the bay.
