Commercially Caught Freshwater Fishes in the Philippines: Status, Issues, and Recommendations

Abstract

The Philippines is endowed with 406,328 hectares of inland waters consisting of lakes, marshes, and reservoirs. In 2018, the production of inland fisheries in the country was 164,835 metric tons (3.8% of total fisheries production) with a value of PHP 5.8 billion. This study was conducted to determine the status of commercially caught freshwater fishes in major inland waters based on available data, literature, and information from key informants and personal observations, and identify issues and recommend strategies for the sustainability of such fishes. Results of the analyses showed that the top 10 commercially caught freshwater fishes in 2017 were tilapia (50%), carp (16.4%), mudfish (11.0%), Asiatic catfish (6.6%), gourami (5.0%), white goby (3.8%), Manila catfish (2.6%), climbing perch (2.4%), silver perch (1.7%), and freshwater sardine (1.5%). Between 2005 and 2017, the highest increases in production were for the freshwater sardine (+49.7%), Asiatic catfish (+41.6%), and carp (+32.5%) while the highest decreases were for the silver perch (-69.8%), white goby (-39.5%), and Manila catfish (-26.6%). There was an average annual increase of 4.2% in the production of the 10 fishes for 2005-2017. The tilapia, mudfish, Asiatic catfish, and climbing perch were found in all regions of the country while the carp, gourami, white goby, Manila catfish, and silver perch were found in most regions. The freshwater sardine, on the other hand, was only found in the Lake Taal of Region IV-A (CALABARZON). The major issues threatening the sustainability of freshwater fishes were identified as overfishing, water pollution, invasive fishes, and environmental degradation. Recommendations for addressing such issues include the imposition of a closed fishing season, strict implementation of water quality standards, firm enforcement of rules and regulations for foreign/exotic fishes, and the reforestation of denuded forests.