Apo Island, Negros Oriental, has been an informal “natural laboratory” for marine and social scientists for 50 years. It is important to assess the contributions to marine science of studies that have examined the Apo experience in Community-Based Coastal Resource Management. This paper reviews literature on Apo Island from the 1950s to the present. Research emphasis has been on the effects of management on the sustainability of reef fisheries; economic valuation and the benefits of tourism; and, anthropological and sociological studies of coastal fishing communities, particularly the role of women in fishing community dynamics and economics. Much of this research has been ground-breaking, applying novel approaches to issues facing coral reefs over the past three decades. Lessons learned from the Apo experience are discussed in light of current challenges facing reef managers.
