Apo Island
Encyclopedia
Apo Island is a volcanic island covering 12 hectare
s in land area, 7 kilometers off the southeastern tip of Negros Island and 30 kilometers south of the Negros Oriental
capital of Dumaguete City
in the Philippines
.
The marine habitat around the island is a marine reserve
, protected by the National Integrated Protected Area Act (NIPA) and under the jurisdiction of the Protected Area Management Board (PAMB). It has become a popular dive site and snorkeling
destination with tourists. There are two resorts on Apo Island, both of which have their own dive centers: Apo Island Beach Resort and Liberty's Lodge.
The island is under the jurisdiction of the municipality of Dauin, Negros Oriental
, and is one of the municipality's 23 barangay
s. As of the 2007 census, the island has a population of 745.
, and 25 kilometers south of the Negros Oriental capital Dumaguete City
. Extending approximately 1.5 km (0.9 mi) from north to south and 1 km (0.6 mi) from east to west, the island has a land area of just 12 hectares and rises to a height of 120 meters (390 feet) above sea level at its highest point.
It can be reached by a 30-minute boat ride from the village of Malatapay, Zamboanguita, Negros Oriental
.
Apo Island is one of the world's best known community-organized marine sanctuaries, and as such it has been well documented by the global science community. The project was started when Dr. Angel Alcala, a marine scientist from the Silliman University Marine Laboratory explained to the local fishermen the importance of creating a marine sanctuary in the area. Initially, there was hesitation on the part of the locals; but after a 3-year dialogue, Dr. Alcala was able to convince the island community to establish the sanctuary. Assisted by the staff of the SU Marine Laboratory in 1982, the local fishermen selected an area along 450 meters of shoreline and extending 500 meters from shore as the sanctuary site. Since then, the project initiated on the island led to the creation of hundreds of other marine sanctuaries in the Philippines.
At present, the island is home to over 650 documented species of fish and estimated to have over 400 species of corals. Visitors and tourists pay a fee to enter Apo Island and to snorkel or dive in the marine sanctuary there, these fees are used to keep the sanctuary clean and in good condition.
In 2003, Chicago
's Shedd Aquarium
opened a Wild Reef exhibit based on Apo Island's surrounding reef and marine sanctuary. In 2008, Sport Diver Magazine listed Apo Island as one of the top 100 diving spots in the world.
Hectare
The hectare is a metric unit of area defined as 10,000 square metres , and primarily used in the measurement of land. In 1795, when the metric system was introduced, the are was defined as being 100 square metres and the hectare was thus 100 ares or 1/100 km2...
s in land area, 7 kilometers off the southeastern tip of Negros Island and 30 kilometers south of the Negros Oriental
Negros Oriental
Negros Oriental is a province of the Philippines located in the Central Visayas region. It occupies the south-eastern half of the island of Negros, with Negros Occidental comprising the north-western half. It also includes Apo Island — a popular dive site for both local and foreign tourists...
capital of Dumaguete City
Dumaguete City
The City of Dumaguete is a city in the Philippine province of Negros Oriental. It is the capital, principal seaport, and largest city of the province. According to the 2010 census, it has a population of 133,470 people. A person from Dumaguete is called a "Dumagueteño"...
in the Philippines
Philippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
.
The marine habitat around the island is a marine reserve
Marine reserve
For the United States Marine Corps Reserve see: Marine Forces ReserveA marine reserve is an area of the sea which has legal protection against fishing or development. This is to be distinguished from a marine park, but there is some overlap in usage...
, protected by the National Integrated Protected Area Act (NIPA) and under the jurisdiction of the Protected Area Management Board (PAMB). It has become a popular dive site and snorkeling
Snorkeling
Snorkeling is the practice of swimming on or through a body of water while equipped with a diving mask, a shaped tube called a snorkel, and usually swimfins. In cooler waters, a wetsuit may also be worn...
destination with tourists. There are two resorts on Apo Island, both of which have their own dive centers: Apo Island Beach Resort and Liberty's Lodge.
The island is under the jurisdiction of the municipality of Dauin, Negros Oriental
Dauin, Negros Oriental
Dauin is a 2nd class municipality in the province of Negros Oriental, Philippines. It is bordered on the north by Bacong, on the south by Zamboanguita, and on the west a mountain range separates it from Santa Catalina. The municipality is a coastal town, the ocean forming its eastern border...
, and is one of the municipality's 23 barangay
Barangay
A barangay is the smallest administrative division in the Philippines and is the native Filipino term for a village, district or ward...
s. As of the 2007 census, the island has a population of 745.
Geography and climate
Apo Island is located off the southeastern tip of Negros Island, 7 kilometers from the town of ZamboanguitaZamboanguita, Negros Oriental
Zamboanguita is a 4th class municipality in the province of Negros Oriental, Philippines. According to the 2000 census, it has a population of 23,338 people in 4,691 households.-Barangays:Zamboanguita is politically subdivided into 10 barangays.* Basac...
, and 25 kilometers south of the Negros Oriental capital Dumaguete City
Dumaguete City
The City of Dumaguete is a city in the Philippine province of Negros Oriental. It is the capital, principal seaport, and largest city of the province. According to the 2010 census, it has a population of 133,470 people. A person from Dumaguete is called a "Dumagueteño"...
. Extending approximately 1.5 km (0.9 mi) from north to south and 1 km (0.6 mi) from east to west, the island has a land area of just 12 hectares and rises to a height of 120 meters (390 feet) above sea level at its highest point.
It can be reached by a 30-minute boat ride from the village of Malatapay, Zamboanguita, Negros Oriental
Zamboanguita, Negros Oriental
Zamboanguita is a 4th class municipality in the province of Negros Oriental, Philippines. According to the 2000 census, it has a population of 23,338 people in 4,691 households.-Barangays:Zamboanguita is politically subdivided into 10 barangays.* Basac...
.
Marine sanctuary and tourism
At present, the island is home to over 650 documented species of fish and estimated to have over 400 species of corals. Visitors and tourists pay a fee to enter Apo Island and to snorkel or dive in the marine sanctuary there, these fees are used to keep the sanctuary clean and in good condition.
In 2003, Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
's Shedd Aquarium
Shedd Aquarium
The John G. Shedd Aquarium is an indoor public aquarium in Chicago, Illinois in the United States that opened on May 30, 1930. The aquarium contains over 25,000 fish, and was for some time the largest indoor aquarium in the world with of water. The Shedd Aquarium was the first inland aquarium with...
opened a Wild Reef exhibit based on Apo Island's surrounding reef and marine sanctuary. In 2008, Sport Diver Magazine listed Apo Island as one of the top 100 diving spots in the world.