This article describes the experiences of the Establishment of Marine Reserves in Negros Oriental (EMRINO) project, which took place in central Philippines, from September 1994-December 1996. The project’s aims were to protect selected parts of the coral reefs in order to allow over-exploited economically important food fish stocks to recover. This measure was expected to reverse the decline in fish catches for small-scale fisherfolk in areas near the new reserves.