The minimum sizes of fish sanctuaries and fishing effort reductions needed to achieve sustainable coastal fisheries in Calauag and Tayabas bays

• Main Authors: Licuanan, Wilfredo Roehl Y., Mamauag, Samuel S., Gonzales, R. O.M., Alino, Porfirio M.
• Format: text
• Published: Animo Repository 2008
• Subjects: Aquatic parks and reserves—Philippines—Quezon Province; Fishery management—Philippines—Quezon Province; Biology
• Online Access: https://animorepository.dlsu.edu.ph/faculty_research/89
• Institution: De La Salle University

The impact of the sizes of fish sanctuaries and fishing effort reductions (i.e., number of fishers and fishing days per year) and various combinations thereof on projected catch per fisher were assessed for Calauag and Tayabas Bays. This study explored the likely impact and viability of the options available to fishery managers to sustain coastal fisheries in these bays. Using recent data from the Fisheries Resource Management Program and an updated, bay-level version of the steady-state model FISHBE (Fisheries Information for Sustainable Harvests-BioEconomic), thousands of individual model runs were made and reduced to fishing capacity charts, which are introduced here as graphical guide for managers to allow them to examine the consequences of various scenarios. Results showed that both bays are still overfished. FISH-BE estimates revealed only around 1,100 of the 1,500 municipal fishers in Calauag Bay can be supported sustainably over the long term (i.e., >5 byr) under current conditions. Tayabas Bay's fisheries are in a more critical state because it has six times more fishers but the bay is only three times larger in area than Calauag Bay. FISH-BE simulations showed only 2,800 of about 9,500 municipal fishers in Tayabas Bay could be supported sustainably over the long term. If all 1,500 fishers are to be supported, at least 20% (150 km2) of Calauag Bay should be set aside as no-take sanctuaries. For Tayabas Bay, if the number of municipal fishers is not reduced, no-take fish sanctuaries totaling at least 55% of the bay's waters (or 1,385 km2) need to be set up. Fisheries management in these bays clearly requires a combination of measures which are outlined in this report.