Verde Island Passage

Verde Island Passage is a marine corridor in the Philippines, accessed by divers primarily from Puerto Galera on Mindoro, and is widely regarded as one of the most biodiverse marine ecosystems on the planet. Nutrient-rich currents sweep through the passage continuously, fuelling dense coral growth and sustaining a constant movement of marine life through the channel.

The passage is characterised by strong currents, reef bottom terrain, and conditions that drive high marine productivity. These nutrient-rich flows create a fast-paced, high-energy underwater environment that draws large aggregations of pelagic and reef species throughout the water column.

Marine life recorded in the Verde Island Passage includes large schools of jacks, fusiliers, snapper, and anthias associated with the current-swept reef structures, as well as orca, which have been encountered here as a rare event in this rich marine corridor.