Blue Swimming Crab (Portunus pelagicus, Linnaeus 1758) Capture Fishery Practices in Tigbauan, Iloilo, Central Philippines

Abstract

Blue swimming crab (BSC) (Portunus pelagicus) is an economically significant aquatic species contributing to the Philippine economy. Tigbauan, a coastal municipality in Iloilo, central Philippines, has been practicing BSC capture fishery for decades. However, there is a limited existing study on BSC fishing practices in this particular area. Thus, this study aimed to assess the status of the BSC capture fishery in Tigbauan, Iloilo. A household survey was done in October 2019 for the five crabbing villages (barangays) in the area using a semi-structured questionnaire. Results showed that most crabbers (83.4%) were still living below the country poverty threshold. Although some crabbers were engaged in other livelihood opportunities, the marginal contribution from these earnings to the household income was still inadequate to supplement the fundamental and other family needs. Limiting their chances to other sources of income may be due to their lack of formal education. Fishing gears used by locals were crab pots locally known as panggal and crab entangling net or bottom-set gillnet locally known as pukot. Crabbing operation varied in each village and was done regularly and even twice a day in peak season time. The instances of catching gravid females were high. Hence, threatening the status of wild stocks. Rampant trawling and dragging activities in the municipality also became a big problem for the crabbers and contributed to the catch decline. Strict implementation of the existing ordinances must be carried out and focused on the biology, seasonality, and stock enhancement to formulate an effective management framework plan.