The Verde Island Passage is a strait that separates the islands of Luzon and Mindoro in the Philippines, connecting the South China Sea with the Tayabas Bay and the Sibuyan Sea beyond. Traditionally, the sea lane has been one of the busiest in the Philippines because it acts as a corridor from the Port of Manila to the Visayas and Mindanao in the south. A network of ferry routes cross the passage and connect the surrounding provinces of Batangas, Marinduque, Occidental Mindoro, Oriental Mindoro and Romblon. The Verde Island Passage is identified as a site of highest marine biodiversity importance in the Coral Triangle. The 1.14 million hectare passage is extremely rich in marine biodiversity and has been called "Center of the Center of Marine Shorefish Biodiversity" with various conservation groups and local government units pushing for its nomination as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

A team of marine conservationists declared in 2006 that the Philippines is the Center of Marine Biodiversity in the world and Verde Island Passage as the "Center of the Center of Marine Shorefish Biodiversity".

Many threatened species which include sea turtles like hawksbills, olive ridleys, and green turtles; humphead wrasses, giant groupers and giant clams are present in the Verde Island Passage. However, there are no enforcement of ordinances and over-fishing is common. A short-lived 'park fee' scheme for the Verde Island drop-off dive site was soon dropped when it was discovered that the revenue was being used to buy better fishing gear and hence removing fish at a higher rate. Several species such as the humphead wrasse have low catches frequently reporting 0 catches. It was particularly noted the rare red fin wrasse (Cirrhilabrus rubripinnis) thrives in Verde Island.

There is a complete moratorium of all types of fishing in the Batangas Bays and around Mindoro island. The fish sold in the markets of Puerto Galera comes from distance places such as Romblon.

Several Philippine NGOs and academic institutions focus on the Verde Island Passage. The Batangas Coastal Resources Management Foundation and environmental groups in Puerto Galera have long conducted education campaigns about sustainable fishing and diving practices. The Mindoro Biodiversity Conservation Foundation (MBCFI) engages communities on Mindoro in habitat restoration, wildlife monitoring, and livelihood projects that reduce dependence on resource extraction. In Batangas, the provincial government's Environment and Natural Resources Office works with local universities (like Batangas State University's VERDE Center) to undertake reef assessments and train citizen scientists. One notable effort is the citizen science program initiated by researchers from the California Academy of Sciences and De La Salle University, which trains local divers and volunteers to monitor coral reef health and upload data to a national biodiversity database. This initiative, supported by the USAID INSPIRE project and ABS-CBN Foundation, has empowered local stakeholders to take part in scientific monitoring and management of their reefs.

Internationally, the Verde Island Passage has attracted support from conservation networks. In 2023, the global marine nonprofit Mission Blue declared the passage a "Hope Spot", highlighting it as a special place critical to the health of the ocean and rallying international awareness for its protection. This designation was championed by marine scientists working in the region and celebrated by local communities. It has brought additional resources and attention, including collaborations with dive tourism operators and industry partners to promote conservation.

Private sector and social enterprises are also increasingly involved. Wovoka Philippines, a Filipina-led ecological restoration company, is working in Mindoro's upland communities to restore forests under its Project Arawatan. By replanting native trees in denuded watersheds, this project aims to improve water quality flowing into the Verde Island Passage and reduce sedimentation of coral reefs. At the same time, Wovoka partners with local organizations to develop sustainable livelihoods – from seedling nurseries to eco-tourism trails – that reinforce the value of keeping the forests and reefs healthy. Such nature-based initiatives, though led by a private entity, complement the efforts of NGOs and government by tackling environmental problems (like deforestation) at their source and by providing economic incentives for conservation.

The unparalleled biodiversity of the Verde Island Passage has spurred numerous conservation initiatives from the mid-2000s onward. In 2006, Philippine President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo issued Executive Order No. 578, which identified the Verde Island Passage Marine Corridor as a critical area for biodiversity and called for the development of a national policy to protect it. Since then, the passage has been a focus of both government and NGO-led programs. Local governments in all five surrounding provinces have established marine protected areas (MPAs) and fishery management zones along their coasts to safeguard key reefs and fish spawning grounds. By 2017, there were at least 36 community-managed MPAs within the passage (24 in Batangas and 12 in Oriental Mindoro), many organized into networks for collaborative management. These MPAs range from small no-take fish sanctuaries to larger marine parks, and collectively they help conserve habitats while allowing depleted fish populations to recover.