Management of local fisheries: A case study of Laoang, Northern Samar, Philippines

Abstract

This paper investigates the ongoing management of fish resources at the municipality-level in the Philippines. The paper presents a case study of the current and potential management strategies for the fishery of Laoang, Philippines. Ongoing management activities include the placement of Fish Aggregating Devices (FADs) in the municipal waters, development of two 10-hectare Marine Protected Areas, and a Fish Catch Monitoring program. Local management efforts for using the FADs and the improvement of the coastal areas of the fishery are discussed, including enhanced environmental education and protection and limits on adding FADs to the municipal waters. The FADs have shown to increase average catch about 5 kg. In order to achieve the goals of managing the local fishery to promote food security and income, three management steps must be achieved: the appropriate organizational structure needs to be in place, management programs need to be seen as meeting community needs, and the momentum must be continued by increasing existing programs and adding new ones.