Mangrove Revegetation Potentials of Brackish-Water Pond Areas in the Philippines - Aquaculture and the Environment: A Shared Destiny - page 47

of sediments (Krauss, 2008). As had been observed in other areas where tidal gates were
destroyed, the pond elevation after some time levels with the adjacent mangrove forest, on
the average this may take 1 to 2 years. This could then be followed by an observation period
of where the seedlings will settle to determine if proper spacing of the seedlings to favor
growth will be achieved. Natural recruitment of propagules in the pond site may not be a
problem due to the abundance of seedlings near tidal gates as was observed in the study site
in Lian, Batangas, ( Figure 9 ). Assisted planting may be considered by replanting the
propagules in the areas of the pond where elevation is relatively higher. Lewis (2005, 2009)
in collaboration with various authors (1997, 2000) discussed in details the necessary steps for
successful management and rehabilitation of abandoned or disused brackish-water ponds.
Fig. 9. Abundance of seedlings of Avicennia marina and Rhizophora stylosa from the seafront
area of a mangrove forest to the gate of a brackish-water pond in Lian, Batangas,
Philippines.
6. Conclusions
The inverse link between the remaining mangrove areas and existing brackish-water ponds
in the Philippines had been well recognized for three decades now. The degraded state of
mangrove areas is caused by its continued overexploitation for wood products, unregulated
conversion for coastal development, inappropriate planting programs, and more
importantly the absence or lack of more efficient and adaptive rehabilitation and
conservation strategies. The proliferation of idle and underutilized brackish-water ponds is
also an effect of the absence of efficient monitoring and evaluation system for the condition
and status of these ponds. Laws and administrative orders for the rehabilitation and
protection of mangroves areas as well as the responsible utilization of brackish-water ponds
in the Philippines are in place, however, the implementing rules and regulations for these
policies seemed to be lacking in coverage and effectivity. At present there are approximately
232,100 ha of brackish-water ponds, however only 59,923 ha have lease agreements from the
Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources. At present, sixty-six percent of these FLAs are
already expired. The remaining mangrove areas which were reportedly converted to