Climate change takes toll on fish catch in Davao Gulf

DAVAO CITY--The Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources in Region 11 (BFAR-11) has raised concerns on the decreasing fish catch in Davao Gulf even if it has implemented a yearly closed season for pelagic fishes for five years now.

BFAR-11 Director Fatma Idris told reporters during Monday's Kapehan sa Dabaw that the decreasing fish catch has already been noted since 2015.

Based on the stock assessment, Idris said Davao Gulf used to produce 3,522 metric tons, going down by 4 percent in 2015 and has since continued to decline.

One of the weather phenomenon being blamed is El Niño, which affects mostly the hito (catfish) growers and fingerling hatcheries in the Davao region because of declining water level due to lack of rain.

Idris said the closed season for pelagic fishes at Davao Gulf is just one strategy that BFAR is implementing to address the declining fish production in the region.

The closed season, which gives pelagic fishes the opportunity to spawn and multiply, is set from June 1 until August 31.

The closed season is in accordance with the Joint Administrative Order No. 02 of the DA and Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) prohibiting the catching of pelagic fishes in Davao Gulf. Fishermen or fishing companies will not be allowed to catch pelagic fishes using ringnet and bagnet.

The ban also applies to small-scale to large-scale commercial fishing with vessels from 3.1 gross tons (GT) to more than 150 GT.

Last year, BFAR targeted 65,597 metric tons of fish production higher than the 43,657 metric tons in the third quarter of the previous year.

To achieve targets, Idris said the government assists fishermen through its program of giving fiberglass fishing boats.

BFAR gives 100 units per coastal town targeting about 4,000 beneficiaries.

She said 3,000 units of fiberglass boats will be distributed to coastal towns, while BFAR is also providing fishermen with hook and line gears. (Lilian C. Mellejor/PNA)