The saga of community learning: Mariculture and the Bolinao experience

Abstract

The per capita fish consumption in the Philippines has not significantly changed through the years (1987–2003), but the increase in human population has created an ever-increasing demand for food fish. The Philippine Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources has responded to the food fish shortage by promoting mariculture. We support this policy within a comprehensive planning and management framework that includes siting and density of mariculture facilities. The case of Bolinao-Anda, Pangasinan is presented in this article to highlight the multi-faceted process for a successful mariculture enterprise. We use remote sensing tools to track the responses of stakeholder groups to various local legislation, mariculture-induced disasters, and scientific recommendations. Using hydrodynamic models, we assess these responses and highlight potential adjustments that may alleviate the pressure on and maintain the ecosystem health of the Bolinao-Anda coastal waters.