Catch of Otolithes ruber (Bloch & Schneider, 1801) under Varying Fishing Practices of Municipal Fisherfolks in San Miguel Bay, Philippines

Abstract

Tiger-toothed croaker or Otolithes ruber (Bloch & Schneider 1801) is native to San Miguel Bay in Bicol, one of the most productive fishing grounds in the Philippines. Locally known as “abo”, it is one of the major fish catch in the bay and its processing is a seasonal livelihood among coastal villages that commands high market price. With the present state of area, this study aimed to provide information on O. ruber catch trend under the different fishing practices among municipal fisherfolks. On-board surveys and observations (fishing trips) were conducted from the selected barangays of the seven municipalities around the Bay, which were attended by fisherfolk who have been into fishing activity for a long time. The morphometric characteristics of the fish in terms of size (lengths and weights), sex type, and sexual maturity were assessed. Fisherfolks prefer to perform fishing activities applying fishing methods such as “timbog” (“tupak”), “patalang” and “hugos”, if the water is turbid while others believed in the phases of the moon wherein better catch is experienced when the moon is on its first or last quarters. Fishing trips demonstrated that fisherfolks used bottom-set gillnets and commonly explored the middle to the mouth of the Bay off the municipalities of Mercedes and Siruma. From the 162.69 kg total catch during the 22 fishing trips, 31.49% or 51.22 kg of which were O. ruber caught largely from Mercedes, Calabanga and Cabusao areas. Mercedes employed the “patalang” method while the other two employed “timbog” method. Out of 434 O. ruber samples, 222 females and 212 males, having 1:1 ratio, were identified with TL of 19.14 + 0.11 cm and body weight of 70.76 + 1.46 g. Moreover, macroscopic analyses of gonads revealed that maturity stages of females ranged from mature to ripe or spawning while most males are already mature and gravid with some developing virgin.