E. V. Angara R. S. Cabanilla R and P.D. Watts . Aurora Province and the global village coastlines: A programmatic approach to Philippine marine fisheries.

Abstract: Marine fisheries are an integral part of the food and livelihood security of the Philippines and many other less developed countries. Aurora Province and the Aurora State College of Technology are part of the North Philippine Sea (NPS), one of the country’s six marine bioregions. Efforts through local agencies and a decade of facilitation from Volunteer Services Overseas Philippines (VSOP) led to the establishment of both a coastal resource management education specialization as well as a joint program with the Province of Aurora. The program was designed as steps towards the first marine bioregion coastal resource management (CRM) program in the country. Currently, work is continuing on the engagement of local fisherfolk and the development of the NPS CRM Network, which will extend over nine provinces. Perhaps the most significant breakthrough in program development was putting emphasis on communication and coordination to transform challenges into opportunities through relationship development. Keywords: Philippines, sustainable development, fisherfolk, MPA. Read full paper.