Milkfish (Bangus) floating cage culture project and Marine Protected Areas in Bohol

This paper is intended to make general analysis on the results of coastal resource management (CRM) projects that have been implemented in Bohol by different stakeholders (government organizations or GOs and non-governmental organizations or NGOs) with local, national and international funding. It also presents the need to engage in non-fishing endeavors like the mariculture projects, particularly the milkfish floating cage culture project.

I. Bohol Marine Fish Catch

1. Based on the data from the Bureau of Agricultural Statistics (BAS) shown in the form of Graph below, the total marine fish catch of Bohol has been reduced from 23,904 m.t. in 2002 to 11,934 m.t. in 2011 or by as much as 50 percent. The municipal fish catch which represents 59 percent and 91 percent of the total catch in 2002 and 2011, respectively, showed the lesser decline from 14,103 m.t. in 2002 to 10,863 m.t. in 2011 or by 33 percent as against 89 percent of commercial catch.

2. There is a pattern that as the tuna catch is decreasing, the squid catch is increasing as indicated in the Graph below. One reason is that squid is one of the major food of tuna fish.

3. As shown in the Graph below, it is the large and small pelagic fish that contributed to the big decline in municipal fish catch from 10,392 m.t. to 1,345 m.t. or by 87 percent. On the other hand, municipal fish catch of 5 species of coral reef associated fish significantly increased from 150 m.t. in 2002 to 2,400 m.t. in 2011 (see Graph below) or by 16 times. The significant decline in the catch of

tuna fish could be associated with the overfished status of tuna in the whole of the Western and Central Pacific ocean while the decline of anchovy and sardine could be due to overfishing by those using bag net or restricted production of phytoplankton being the main food of anchovy and sardine.

4. Among the coral reef associated fish, it is siganid or rabbit fish that has the highest increase, followed by goatfish, blue crab, parrotfish and grouper. This is an indicator that the conditions of the corals and seagrass are improving which result to the increasing fish carrying capacity of the sea or fishing grounds which inevitably resulted to increase in fish biomass as well as the corresponding increase in fish catch. However, there is a need to determine if the size or length of the species of fish caught are of the mature size or not less than the size or length at first maturity.

II. Marine protected area establishment

1. Maps below show the two important marine ecosystem: Danahon Bank and Bohol Marine Triangle. In Danajon Bank CRM projects, the major implementers were/are the Fisheries Improved for Sustainable Harvest (FISH) and Project Seahorse Foundation for Marine Conservation (PSF).

2. The Bohol Marine Triangle (BMT) project was initially funded and facilitated by the Foundation for the Philippine Environment (FPE). Several NGOs had also participated since their program areas were covered by the BMT project. When it was turned over to the 3 LGUs, they formed an organization so-called the Padayon BMT Management Council, Inc.

3. It can be initially concluded that the implementation of the CRM type of programs and projects undertaken by FISH and PSF in Danajon Bank and the Padayon BMTMCI in Bohol Marine Triangle has resulted to the protection and management of the fish habitat (corals, seagrass and mangroves) in the vast areas of Bohol. This has reversed the trend of fish habitat degradation which led to the increase in the fish carrying capacity of the vast areas of fishing grounds that resulted to the increase in fish biomass as well as the increase in fish catch. However, there is a need to determine through the Fish Ruler approach of stock assessment what particular species are showing increasing catch but their sizes are smaller than the mature size. The fishery law enforcement efforts to minimize, if not control, the use of efficient and destructive gears have led to the increasing trend of the fish stock biomass of the various species of fish in the nearshore water.

III. Mariculture project establishment vis-à-vis fish habitat and fish stock management

1. In view of the fact that despite the increasing trend in catch coral reef associated fish or in the nearshore water, the total fish catch is very much on the decline which is endangering the food security of the people in Bohol, the fisherfolk organizations with the assistance of BFAR and other concerned line agencies and units have engaged in mariculture projects. BFAR together with the LGUs has established the mariculture park in Maribojoc as shown below that was inaugurated in April 2011.

2. In Dauis, the Songculan Guso Farmers Association (SOGUFA) had started their milkfish floating cage culture project in the early part of 2006 through a demo size project (4meters wide x 2 meters long x 2.5 meters deep) from which it had harvested after 3 months of culture almost 90 kgs out of the original stock of more than 400 pcs of bangus fingerlings (5-6 inches) purchased from the BFAR Regional Fish Farm in Calape. Assured of continuous supply of fingerlings and after gaining enough technical knowledge, skills and experience in the demo project, the association pursued the following:

a. One (1) unit of commercial size project was put up in Sept 2006 utilizing a cage measuring 12 x 5 x 2.5 with financial assistance from Provincial Agricultural Office of Bohol under the SMILE program. In Nov 2006, additional cage with same measurement was operated through the support of DOLE for P60,000 as Grant and BANGON for P90,000 as Loan. After several years of operation, SOGUFA was able to generate income. Additional cages were constructed/installed until these reached to 9 units. By October and December 2010 additional 2 cages and 1 cage were constructed/installed, respectively, allowing the association to operate 12 units of cages.

b. The income sharing scheme of SOGUFA is that the net income (after deducting all the operating costs including the depreciation cost of the cages) is divided among the members based on the length of time they provided to the project.

c. At present, more or less 12 cages are operational. The following pictures show the general process involved in the production and marketing of bangus.

3. The project is located more ore less 100 meters from the shoreline. Actually, the project site is part of the multi-use zone based on the approved zoning ordinance. In fact, the southern part of the general area of Songculan beach front is being used as docking area of fishing boats used in bag net (lawagan) fishing, another water portion is SOGUFA’s project and in the adjacent land area are the beach resort establishments as shown in the enlarged satellite map below The project can also be covered by Section 20 (Fisherfolk organizations and/or cooperatives) of RA 8550 which stipulates that—Fisherfolk organizations / cooperatives whose members are listed in the registry of municipal fisherfolk, may be granted use of demarcated fishery areas to engage in mariculture and/or fishfarming, among others. For which purpose, SOGUFA can be granted Demarcated Fishery Right in accordance with Section 22.

4. Based on the news item title “Dauis feud on fish cage far from over” (Bohol Chronicle, 08/30/06), it stated that “Resort owners, including Ma. Melinda Borja, Susumu Gomi, Enid Gomi and the Hidden Corals Resort, filed a complaint against a group of fishermen called Songculan Guso Farmers Association (Sogufa) led by its president Juanito Obispo . . . They (resort owners) alleged that floating fish cages (bangus culture) and structures posed navigation hazard and “eyesore, insightly and unsuitable for tourist area . . . It pollutes the area because feeding materials and waste excretion drain to the water . . . The project emits unpleasant odor, which again violates the rights of the residents of the area to have a healthy environment. Unpleasant odor is never pleasing for a tourist designated area either.” Through the intervention of the Sangguniang Panlalawigan environment committee and municipal LGU of Dauis, the case was resolved.

5. SOGUFA president Juanito Obispo has proven the fact that the project does not result to the accumulation of fish wastes and uneaten feeds on the sea bed just below the project structures. In fact, until early August of 2012 the sea bed (white sand) below the project structure and even at vicinity remains clear of fish and feed wastes after more than 6 years of operation. The BFAR team that conducted seagrass monitoring and water quality test in the area in the first week of August 2012 informed him that the result was good.

6. In effect, the project serves as sanctuary of several species of fish - of various sizes from fry to mature size - which are coral reef and seagrass associated. The vicinity of the project site is frequented by fishers using gill net of legal mesh size wherein caught are large size species of rabbit fish (danggit), katambak (emperor fish) and spade fish (kitong/kitang). Seasonally, danggit and grouper (lapu-lapu) fry and juveniles are also abundant in the area. Please refer to the topo map and satellite map with illustrations below. Given the central location of the project with floating house, it serves as sort of an outpost related to fishery law enforcement. Their efforts on CRM very much contributed to the increasing trend in the catch of coral reef and seagrass associated species of fish. The project site and adjacent nearshore water can be considered as demarcated fishery management area since it will fall under the category of fishery management area as defined in Section 4, number 34 of RA 8550 and which can then be demarcated as to boundaries for the association to co-manage with LGU.

7. BAS data when presented in the Graph as shown below shows that milkfish cage culture production has significantly increased from 2009 to 2010 and 2011 with ex-farm price of P2.53 M, P7.275 M and P104.54 M, respectively. Definitely, the share of SOGUFA project to the total milkfish fish cage production is quite significant at this point in time.

8. Income from the SOGUFA project is divided into the following: share of the association, share of the members assigned to the project, and share for the repair and maintenance of the project. Benefiting from the project has heightened the enthusiasm of the members to actively involve in the project operation as well as act as lookout or guard of the nearshore water knowing fully well that their livelihood project is integrated with the protection and management of the nearshore fishery ecosystem (fish habitat and fish stocks).

9. Wbat makes the SOGUFA project interesting are the following: a) SOGUFA president is a member of the Padayon BMT Management Council whose current Chairperson is Dauis Mayor Jaime Jimenez who fully supports SOGUFA project and other CRM-related activities, b) He who was a practicing electronic technician before the project has now gained high level of competence and confidence in providing technical and management services to 4 fisherfolk organizations and 8 individuals with the same project out of the total number of 30 who operate outside of the Maribojoc Mariculture park and c) long-term sustainability within the context of CRM is possible since the project is financially viable and the nearshore fishery is becoming more productive towards the maximum sustainable yield or MSY.