This study assessed the climate vulnerability of milkfish (Chanos chanos) aquaculture in Cardona, Rizal, located in the central bay of Laguna de Bay, Philippines, using the Fisheries Vulnerability Assessment Tool (FishVool). Focus group discussions were conducted with fourteen respondents, including fish pen caretakers, aquaculture operators, municipal agriculture officers, and members of the Municipal Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Management Council. Vulnerability was evaluated across three components: sensitivity, exposure, and adaptive capacity, using indicator scores translated into categorical ranks following the FishVool rubric. Results showed that sensitivity (mean score = 2.74), exposure (3.26), and adaptive capacity (3.37) were all classified as Medium, resulting in an overall Medium vulnerability classification for milkfish aquaculture in the study area. These findings indicate that while aquaculture households are not experiencing extreme climate stress, they remain subject to recurring environmental pressures and structural constraints that limit more robust adaptation. Although the assessment is site-specific to Cardona, the study demonstrates the utility of FishVool as a practical framework for evaluating aquaculture vulnerability at the municipal level.

The pronghorn spiny lobster, Panulirus penicillatus, is a high-value reef-associated species that supports small-scale fisheries and the live seafood trade in Eastern Visayas, Philippines. However, limited local reproductive information has constrained the implementation of science-based management measures for the species. This study assessed the reproductive dynamics and maturity patterns of P. penicillatus using fishery-dependent samples collected from five major lobster-producing areas from February 2018 to December 2019. A total of 8,549 individuals with valid sex records were analyzed, consisting of 4,415 males and 4,134 females. The overall sex ratio was slightly but significantly male-biased at 1:0.94 (χ² = 9.24, df = 1, p = 0.002). Size distribution, based on 8,527 individuals with valid carapace length records, was dominated by small to intermediate individuals, with 57.2% occurring between 40 and 55 mm CL. Berried females were concentrated mainly within the 45–60 mm CL range, indicating that reproductively active females were present within commonly harvested size classes. Reproductive activity was extended but temporally variable, as shown by the occurrence of egg-bearing females, tarspot-bearing females, mature ovarian stages, and significant monthly variation in female gonadosomatic index. Berried female incidence peaked from April to August 2018, while ripe ovaries and elevated female GSI were prominent during February to June 2019. Histological examination identified six ovarian developmental stages: immature, developing, ripe, spawning, re-developing, and spent. Fecundity ranged from 41,962 to 446,782 eggs per female and increased significantly with CL, highlighting the greater reproductive contribution of larger females. Logistic maturity analysis estimated CL₅₀ at 39.28 mm and CL₉₅ at 42.33 mm based on physiological maturity.

The Philippine sardine industry is integral to national food security, rural employment, and export earnings, producing an annual average of 341,000 metric tons valued at PHP 10.74 billion since 2014. Despite its significance, the sector is becoming increasingly vulnerable to ecological pressures, climate variability, and economic risks. Thus, this study employed a value chain analysis that encompasses 86% of the country's national sardine production areas, along with interviews conducted with 421 fishers, traders, and processors. Findings revealed unequal value distribution: fishers recorded high returns on investment (83%) yet remained incomeconstrained, largely dependent on traders for operating capital. Traders earned the highest income per trading cycle but were exposed to price volatility and high operating expenses, whereas processors exhibited uneven profitability across scales and product types. Policy recommendations emphasize strengthening economic resilience through collateral-free credit, cooperative input purchasing, and risk insurance in typhoon-prone provinces. Operational adaptability requires additional investments in cold storage, ice plants, and modernized processing technologies, alongside alternative livelihood programs during closed seasons to safeguard fisher incomes.

The sustainable management of tropical spiny lobster (Panulirus spp.) fisheries is constrained by limited biological data and monitoring systems, particularly in the Philippines. This study investigated the population dynamics and yield-per-recruit of six Panulirus species (P. penicillatus, P. ornatus, P. versicolor, and P. femoristriga) and the two subspecies of P. longipes (P. l. longipes, and P. l. bispinosus) in Eastern Visayas using length-frequency data from 9,051 individuals sampled between February 2018 and December 2019. Sizebased stock assessment models in FISAT II estimated a pooled asymptotic length (L∞) of 180.3 mm (males) and 169.8 mm (females), with a mean growth coefficient (K) of 0.16 yr⁻¹. Pooled total mortality (Z) averaged 1.00 yr⁻¹, and fishing mortality (F) was 0.74 yr⁻¹. Exploitation rates were high, with pooled estimates of 0.70 for males and 0.69 for females, and species-level values ranging from 0.53 to 0.79, exceeding the optimal Eₘₐₓ in five of the six species. Beverton–Holt yield-per-recruit analysis revealed that current fishing practices result in suboptimal yields, with 47–90% of individuals landed below their size at first maturity. Negative allometric growth (b = 2.02–2.70) and low size at first capture, equivalent to 20–46% of L∞, further support evidence of growth overfishing.