IF Captain Nemo from 20,000 leagues under the sea had his Nautilus, and Captain Solo of Star Wars fame had his beloved Millennium Falcon—then the Sulu Sea-based conservation researchers of the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF-Philippines) ride the high seas aboard the trusty M/Y Navorca.

Through the assistance of Grieg Shipping Group and the Grieg Foundation the vessel will be refitted to ensure that it operates at optimum levels. Modifications include improved propulsion systems to maximize fuel consumption and increase speed, a brand-new fiberglass coating for the vessel’s hull and upgrades for navigational, communications and safety equipment.

“These upgrades are absolutely vital in ramping-up WWF’s research and enforcement efforts for the Sulu Sea,” explained WWF-Philippines Tubbataha Reefs Project Manager Marivel Dygico.

“At the center of the Sulu Sea lie the twin atolls of Tubbataha, where fish biomass breaches 200-tonnes per square kilometer. This is five times greater than the productivity of a typical healthy reef, enough to seed Eastern Palawan and the adjoining Visayan sea with fish and invertebrate spawn. It is imperative to protect and conserve Tubbataha through regular research and patrol efforts,” added Dygico.

Before it was declared a National Marine Park in 1988, Tubbataha’s residents have long suffered from exploitation, with generations of fishermen gathering not just fish, but turtles and bird eggs as well.

In December of 2006, 30 Chinese poachers on board the F/V Hoi Wan were apprehended 1.5 nautical miles from Tubbataha Reef Natural Park’s South Atoll, a national marine protected area where entry without authorized clearance is strictly prohibited. Found aboard were over 2300 high-value fish, including live Grouper, Red Snapper and 359 legally protected Napoleon Wrasse. WWF and the Tubbataha Management Office stand ever alert to counter future incursions.

Acquired in 2008, M/Y Navorca is equipped with necessary navigational and communications equipment and has been providing safe passage for research, expeditions, educational tours and rescue operations. The wooden vessel spans 80 feet and has a displacement of 70 gross tons. Manned by eight crewmen, the craft can accommodate up to 12 passengers in bunk-beds. Two weeks’ worth of fuel, water and food are carried aboard.

In 2010, M/Y Navorca was involved in eight research trips, one each for cetaceans, sharks, seabirds, fish, coral, marine turtles, Crown-of-Thorns seastars (COTs) and gastropods—covering a period of three months. Her crew installed mooring buoys and launched two expeditions and several short trips within Puerto and Honda Bays to develop a two-day, two-night live-aboard educational tour package which features dolphin watching, snorkeling and island-hopping.

M/Y Navorca is slated for similar trips in 2011. Surveys to be undertaken include climate change vulnerability assessments for both Tubbataha and Cagayancillo isles, seabird, fish, coral and COTs monitoring surveys, further installation of mooring buoys, a World Heritage Expedition and a Puerto Princesa Adventure Expedition.

Through the aid of the Grieg Shipping Group and Grieg Foundation, the newly upgraded vessel will once more be ready to explore and protect the mysteries of the Sulu Sea by the summer of 2012 onwards.