Restoration and enhancement of fisheries in Philippine lakes and reservoirs

Abstract

Inland water resources of the Philippines host some 348 freshwater fishes, of which 16% are endemic and 56% indigenous (FishBase 2013). Although production from inland capture fisheries accounts for only 7.8% of the total fish production (BFAR Fisheries Profile, 2012) it plays a significant role in providing livelihood to small fisherfolks and source of fish protein to the rural landlocked areas. With proper intervention and the application of scientific approach to fish stocking, production from these resources could be increased. The Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) implements a National Program on the Fisheries Enhancement of Inland Waters, which aims to enhance fish production in 36 lakes and reservoirs in the sixteen regions of the country. The Program includes water quality and productivity profiling; social preparation and capacity building; habitat restoration and fisheries enhancement through the establishment of habitat structures; and culture-based open water fisheries. In support of the Program, the BFAR-National inland Fisheries Technology Center conducts research and rehabilitation measures for indigenous species like the Leiopotherapon plumbeus, Anabas testudineus, Clarias macrocephalus and Ophicephalus striatus. A component of the Program is the development of a network of private hatcheries to sustain the fingerling requirements. A prototype model of the Program is the successful physical restoration and the reconstruction of fisheries in the 7-hectare Dagatan Lake. Through collaborative efforts to pool funds and resources; mobilization of the local communities and the application of technical tools; the lake was restored to its natural condition and its fisheries reconstructed through managed open water stocking.