A team from the Department of Agriculture-National Fisheries Research and Development Institute (DA-NFRDI), led by Executive Director Dr. Lilian Garcia and Scientist I Dr. Maria Theresa Mutia, presented its research findings on 𝘚𝘢𝘳𝘥𝘪𝘯𝘦𝘭𝘭𝘢 𝘵𝘢𝘸𝘪𝘭𝘪𝘴 at the first “Small-Scale Fisheries (SSF) Regional Symposium for Asia-Pacific” on April 9-12, 2024 in Shizuoka, Japan.
The NFRDI study, co-authored by Lourdes Merilles of NFRDI-Freshwater Fisheries Research and Development Center (FFRDC), was presented by Drs. Garcia and Mutia during the sixth session under the “Blue Justice” category, with Dr. Alice Ferrer of the University of the Philippines Visayas (UPV) as chair.
“Tawilis is a freshwater sardine endemic to Lake Taal, Philippines, and is the only freshwater sardinella in the world. Tawilis fishery is a prominent industry dominated by small scale gillnetters, scattered across the 11 coastal municipalities of the lake. About 500 fishers are solely dependent on this fishery,” said Dr. Mutia.
As a local delicacy and a popular food fish in the region, tawilis have experienced increased fishing pressure over the last two decades, prompting the lake’s management board to implement intense conservation measures. Among the conservation measures implemented were the seasonal fishing closure and establishment of a Tawilis Reserve Area.
The NFRDI study has become the basis of the closed fishing season of tawilis.
“Through this research, the spawning season and grounds of tawilis were confirmed, providing scientific data for the formulation of conservation policies for tawilis,” Dr. Mutia added.
Now in its fifth year, the closed fishing season is being implemented in the country from March 1 to April 30. Dr. Mutia added that there has been a high compliance rate and strong support from the local government units.
“A harmonious relationship among government agencies, non-government organizations, and fisherfolk organizations is imperative in securing the livelihood of smallscale fishers, at the same time conservation of the lake’s fishery resources,” she underscored.
The NFRDI team was joined by other presenters from Japan, Canada, Italy, USA, Nepal, Bangladesh, India, Malaysia, Indonesia, South Korea, Myanmar, and Thailand. Other delegates from the Philippines were from the University of the Philippines (UP) Visayas and Mindanao State University (MSU)-Naawan.
Part of the symposium was a field visit to Yui Fisheries Cooperative Association (FCA) in Yui fishing community in Shizuoka Prefecture. Dubbed the “Jewel of Suruga Bay, the area is known for shrimp fishery in Japan. Shrimp has long been an important fishery species and an essential resource of the local economy with FCA of Yui playing an important role in its fishery management and community revitalization.
The symposium was organized by Too Big To Ignore (TBTI) Japan, in partnership with Tokai University and other partners, and with support from TBTI Global. TBTI is a global research network and knowledge mobilization partnership that focuses on addressing issues and concerns affecting viability and sustainability of smallscale fisheries. This year’s symposium aimed to facilitate sharing and interactive dialogue to present their works and share perspectives related to smallscale fisheries in the Asia Pacific region.
“The symposium is a good venue for sharing information and experiences on effective governance for the benefits of smallscale fisheries in the participants’ respective countries,” Dr. Garcia concluded.
