Duterte declares parts of Benham Rise a marine protected area

President Rodrigo Duterte on Tuesday declared portions of the Philippine Rise as a marine protected area as part of the nation's commemorative activities for the first anniversary of the renaming of the resource-rich undersea region.

The undersea plateau is more popularly known as Benham Rise.

Pres. Duterte tells Filipino scientists they have unlimited access to the Philippine Rise and they will have the PH Navy at their disposal. This after signing a proclamation declaring the Philippine Rise as a marine protected area. pic.twitter.com/zQPpmxCjDM

— Raffy Tima (@raffytima) May 15, 2018

Duterte signed the proclamation aboard Philippine Navy vessel BRP Davao del Sur off the coast of Casiguran, Aurora, where he also led the send off for a team of Filipino scientists who will conduct a research in the Philippine Rise.

The scientists will do mapping, surveys, biological investigations and assessment of the coral reef and fisheries stock in the area until November.

The 13-million hectare undersea plateau off Aurora province is within the Philippines’ 200-nautical-mile exclusive economic zone as recognized by the United Nations Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf in 2012.

"Around 50,000 hectares of the Philippine Rise shall become strict protection zone limited to scientific studies. At this time, only Filipinos [can conduct studies in the area]," Duterte said in his speech.

Some 300,000 hectares, meanwhile, shall be designated as special fisheries management area.

"When the United Nations Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf approved our claim to the Philippine Rise a few years ago, we were not just granted access to the vast resources, we were also entrusted the responsibility to protect it from abuse and misuse," Duterte said. —NB, News