The Philippine Journal of Fisheries

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Policy Brief | 08 Aug 2022

Deployment of Artificial Habitats Alone Cannot Make up for the Degradation of Coral Reefs

Sandra Enn D. Bahinting, Thea Philea I. Mostrales*, Alexis S. Principe, Wilfredo Y. Licuanan

Key Points:

Artificial habitat projects are expensive endeavors that should be carefully designed and planned to be sustainable and effective.
Artificial habitats must be implemented with other fisheries enhancement and management measures and be monitored to allow for future improvements in site selection criteria and design.
Coral reef rehabilitation is much more expensive than protection.
Given the considerable cost and effort involved, artificial habitat deployments are justified in only a few situations. The lessons shared in this brief contain recommendations for the review and amendment of the joint memorandum concerning the use and management of artificial reefs.

Policy Brief | 29 Jul 2022

Harmful Jellyfishes are Manageable

Francis Xavier D. Verdadero*, Wilfredo Y. Licuanan, Julia Louise Ang, Berlin de los Santos Jr., Ephrime B. Metillo

Key Points:

Very little is known about harmful jellyfish species in the Philippines, much less about their impacts on society (e.g., fishing and tourism sectors, local community).
The Department of Agriculture - Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (DA-BFAR), Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), Departments of Health (DOH) and Tourism (DOT) together with the Department of Science and Technology – Philippine Council for Agriculture, Aquatic and Natural Resources Research and Development (DOST-PCAARRD), other research institutions and academe, should conduct more research related to harmful jellyfish species to address the paucity in information.
To reduce injuries and deaths resulting from harmful jellyfish envenomation, DA, DENR, DOH, and DOT, and their counterparts in local governments must strengthen their information and education campaigns, preventive measures, emergency response, and treatment of jellyfish-related injuries and stings.
DA-BFAR should monitor box and other harmful jellyfishes in collaboration with the local governments with high coastal tourism traffic. This monitoring should be made participatory in high tourism-traffic areas, involving members of the public, the fisheries, tourism, and health sectors of the local governments in coordination with local academic institutions.
DA-BFAR and DENR should also maintain a publicly available database of jellyfish envenomation dates, times, and locations. Health workers and law enforcement officials should be taught to recognize the stings and record casualties for the DA-BFAR and DENR databases. This database and monitoring could be the basis for a national risk map and calendar and, eventually, an advisory and warning system.

Publications

Current | TPJF Volume 29 No. 1

Research Article

Growth and Survival of Black-lip Pearl Oyster Pinctada margaritifera (Linnaeus, 1758) in Bamboo and Metal-framed Pocket Net Baskets Subjected to Cleaning and Without Cleaning Conditions

The farming of black-lip pearl oyster Pinctada margaritifera (Linnaeus, 1758) has been a viable industry for small and large-scale farmers in the South Pacific, but not in the Philippines, where it is monopolized by large-scale farms primarily based on the gold-lip pearl oyster Pinctada maxima.

Method Standardization and Guidance Value Determination for Regulation on Formaldehyde in Round Scad (Decapterus spp.)

There are reports of traded Galunggong (Fil.), Decapterus spp., adulterated with formaldehyde (FA) to lengthen shelf life. FA is a noxious substance with negative repercussions to general consumer health.

Population Parameters of Shortfin scad Decapterus macrosoma (Bleeker, 1851) in Antique, Philippines

Growth, mortality, exploitation rate, and recruitment of Decapterus macrosoma in the waters off Antique province, Philippines, were investigated based on the length-frequency data collected from April 2019 until March 2020.

Tank-Based Nursery Production of the Sea Cucumber Holothuria scabra in Various Seaweed Feed Regimens

This study explored the feasibility of Laurencia papillosa, Sargassum spp., and Gracilaria bailinae crude extracts as feeds for the juvenile sea cucumber Holothuria scabra in a tank-based system.

Engaging Fisherfolk Organizations in Conservation-Based Alternative Livelihoods and Conservation of the Habitats of Irrawaddy Dolphins in Negros Occidental

The coastal waters of Bago City and Pulupandan are core habitats of the critically endangered Irrawaddy dolphin (Orcaella brevirostris), and the establishment of a marine protected area (MPA) is seen as a crucial strategy in ensuring their conservation.

Relative Abundance and Size Composition of Tuna Caught by Major Fishing Gears Landed in the General Santos Fish Port Complex, Philippines

Tunas (family Scombridae) are the most abundant fish species caught by purse seine, ring net, and handline landed in the fish port markets of General Santos City.

Short Communication

First Record of the Goby Lentipes armatus Sakai and Nakamura, 1979 (Teleostei: Gobiidae) in the Amburayan River in Benguet, Luzon Island, Philippines

A species of goby, Lentipes armatus Sakai and Nakamura 1979, described as endemic to the Ryukyu Islands in Japan was recently discovered in the Amburayan River in Benguet, Luzon Island, Philippines.

Potentiometry for Cyanide Detection Applied to Fisheries Regulation

Illegal cyanide fishing is practiced by some fishers to capture agile and otherwise inaccessible reef fishes easily. Economic incentives had prevented discontinuation of the practice despite regulations present.