Symbiosis is an ongoing long-term documentary project examining the impacts of climate change and human activity on marine and coastal ecosystems.
Through a positive, solution-oriented approach, the project focuses on the conservation efforts of local communities and the work of marine scientists who are responding to environmental degradation from within the territories they inhabit and study.
Oceans are a fundamental pillar of life on Earth. They regulate the climate, sustain biodiversity, and provide economic, social, and cultural foundations for billions of people worldwide. Yet today, marine ecosystems are under unprecedented pressure. Rising temperatures, pollution, overexploitation of resources, and coastal development are pushing many environments toward irreversible thresholds.
Symbiosis was born from the need to understand these transformations beyond statistics, by observing how environmental change reshapes daily life, livelihoods, and cultural identities. The project aligns with the United Nations Ocean Decade (2021–2030), aiming to raise awareness and encourage deeper public engagement with marine conservation.
At its core, Symbiosis seeks to share stories of resilience, responsibility, and care — highlighting the efforts to restore ecosystems and safeguard a livable environment for future generations.
The third chapter of Symbiosis was developed in 2024 in the Philippines, a country where nearly sixty percent of municipalities and cities are located along the coast. Mangrove forests, intertidal reefs, and nearshore waters have sustained coastal communities for generations, providing food, protection, and cultural continuity.
In recent decades, this balance has been increasingly disrupted. Intensifying extreme weather events, combined with long-standing pressures such as deforestation and destructive fishing practices, have severely depleted coastal ecosystems and fish stocks. For many small-scale fishermen, declining catches and economic insecurity have pushed survival strategies that further damage the marine environment, leaving younger generations to inherit degraded waters and uncertain livelihoods.
This chapter focuses on communities seeking to reverse this cycle through collective action and local governance. Working alongside local partners, the project documents small-scale fishermen’s alliances that have organized to end destructive fishing practices and rebuild the ecosystems on which they depend.
One of the most visible expressions of this shift is the Bantay Dagat—community-based sea patrols composed of local residents trained in fisheries regulation and coastal resource protection. Through daily patrols and the enforcement of marine sanctuaries, these initiatives have contributed to the gradual recovery of fish populations while strengthening food security and providing alternative sources of income.
Alongside fisheries protection, conservation efforts have expanded to include mangroves and tidal flats. Once viewed primarily as obstacles to development or sources of fuel, these environments are increasingly recognized as nurseries for marine life and vital buffers against typhoons. As perceptions change, participation grows, fostering a renewed sense of responsibility and shared stewardship.
This chapter reflects on how care, when rooted in community and necessity, can become a tool for survival and continuity—reshaping the relationship between people and the sea from extraction toward protection.