Calamianes receives its first 500 individuals of the Philippines' true native Tridacna gigas in late November. The hatchery-bred species were deployed on November 18-19, 2020 at the strict protection zone of the 3,468-hectare Barangay Bulalacao Marine Protected Area (MPA), established in 2014 with full support of Malampaya Foundation Inc. (MFI), and at Barangay San Miguel, Linapacan, whose MPA was expanded in 2017 from 30 to 623 hectares.

The String-of-Pearls project aims to bring vulnerable/threatened and endangered shell species back to reefs within effectively-managed MPAs under MFI’s marine biodiversity conservation program in partnership with the Western Philippines University in Palawan.

The hatchery-bred shell species are restocked at MPA’s that were established or expanded in recent years and have been rated to have effective management and protection by the communities, local governments together with other partners such as tourism resorts.