Occurrence of Anguilla luzonensis in the Tributaries along the Lagonoy Gulf, Philippines

Anguillids are а valuable fish commodity worldwide. Although Anguilla luzonensis have been abundantly found in the northern Philippines and collected for trade, no available records show that it recruited in the midpart where Lagonoy Gulf, Bicol is situated. In this study, we investigated the occurrence of A. luzonensis in the tributaries along the Lagonoy Gulf, Philippines using molecular tools. Glass eel specimens were collected in 2018–2019 from the Comun river, Albay; the Lagonoy river, Camarines Sur; and the Bato river, Catanduanes. Anguilla luzonensis was first reported in Lagonoy Gulf using molecular analysis. A. luzonensis was the second most abundant species in the Comun and Lagonoy rivers (9.5 and 22.4 %, respectively). Anguilla luzonensis collected from the Comun and Lagonoy rivers did not show a significant difference (FST= 0.00825, p>0.05). Anguilla marmorata was the most dominant species in all tributaries (71.1–98.0 %). In the Comun and Lagonoy rivers, A. bicolor pacifica was the third most abundant species (7.7 and 6.5 %, respectively). In addition, Anguilla celebesensis was only found rarely in the Comun river (0.9 %). This study provides important information for sustainable resource management and effective utilization of the eel species in these regions

Institutional Arrangements and Processes in Marine Fishery Reserves-Sanctuaries Establishment in Lagonoy Gulf

This paper described the process and institutional arrangement of MFR-S in Lagonoy Gulf from period 1993 to 2004. The analysis made use of primary and secondary data mainly derived from key informant interviews and participatory resource assessment (PRA). Results showed that the establishment of Marine Fisheries Reserve-Sanctuary in Lagonoy Gulf started in 1993. During the ten-year period between 1993 and 2004, a total of 8 MFR-S were established with majority in Albay and the least in Camarines Sur. Two categories of institutional arrangements were identified in the gulf, namely: LGU-initiated and community-initiated, commonly facilitated by external agents during the project's incipient stage. Three types of institutional partnership emerged namely: Local Government Unit-Non-Government Organizations/ National Government Agencies (LGU-NGOs/NGAs) and people's organization (PO)-academe partnerships. The institutional arrangement and type of partnership determine the process and mechanism of implementation of MFR-S in Lagonoy Gulf. An academe-facilitated process focuses on research as starting point. NGO-facilitated process starts generally with community organizing, while NGA mostly proceed with policy implementation. The community-academe partnership is strong in the preparatory and planning phase. The LGU-NGO/NGA partnership on the other hand, is strong in the ordinance adoption phase.Some factors could derail or facilitate the development of the establishment process in the logical order, these are: the capability of the LGU, the agenda and the long-term commitment of external agents. The interplay of these hindering and facilitating factors in the establishment process of MFR-S developed a 3-phase logical establishment process model for Lagonoy Gulf consisting of the following phases: (1) preparation and planning; (2) ordinance approval; and (3) implementation and management. This typology evolved two distinct types of mechanism of implementation, namely: (i.) a mechanism where the MFR-S planning preempts the ordinance for its establishment; and (ii.). a mechanism where the MFR-S planning precedes the ordinance for its establishment. The former type of implementation mechanism featured an enactment of ordinance establishing the MFR-S followed by a community consultation and management planning. The scheme resulted to the non-integration of the MFR-S management plan into the ordinance that established it. While the latter type of implementation mechanism featured a community consultation and MFR-S establishment (barangay CRM) followed by the enactment of an ordinance establishing an MFR-S by the municipal government. The scheme resulted to the integration of the MFR-S management plan into the ordinance that established it.A more appropriate and effective MFR-S establishment process could be evolved from the Lagonoy Gulf experience by placing the different institutional relevant institutional arrangements and phase sequence could be developed from its MFR-S establishment experience arrangement and processes typologies at appropriate periods capitalizing on their respective strengths

Economic, Ecological and Institutional Impacts of Super Typhoon Reming on a Mangrove Rehabilitation Community in Malinao, Albay, Philippines

Arresting the decline of mangrove forests and mainstreaming people‟s participation in their management provided the rationale for community-based mangrove rehabilitation in the Philippines. Mangrove rehabilitation aims to re-establish habitat and functions that have been lost. In the context of coastal resource management, the risk that typhoons could alter socioeconomic and institutional goals of communitybased mangrove rehabilitation and the dearth of information on impacts of typhoon on such goals and combined income-asset shocks on households presents a great challenge. This paper analyzed the economic effects of typhoon and its impact on community-based mangrove rehabilitation community in the coastal municipality of Malinao, southeastern Luzon. Key informant interview, household and mangrove transect surveys were used in data gathering. Valuation of damaged crops and lost assets were used in quantifying direct economic effects. A time-one, time-two comparison technique was used in quantifying impacts. The results showed the direct damage on crops was highest in rice. The damage on physical assets was highest in fishing gears. The damage on livestock was highest in small animals. The cost of repair was highest for concrete houses, although native houses had the highest proportion of damage. Total direct damage cost valued at PhP 24.33 million justifies public investment in disaster risk management. Per capita damage cost at PhP 12,581 equivalent to 3-month household income shortfall can derail early recovery. The indirect social impacts increased access on social services as window of opportunities brought by the disaster event but are ad hoc in nature. The old mangrove forest population was very slightly impacted but the reforested mangrove was dramatically reduced. Most of the institutional performances in resource management and livelihood sustainability plans were negatively impacted. Livelihood projects with live production assets were more vulnerable and incurred heavy losses from typhoon. The typhoon resulted to very minimal gains on overall natural resource management goals posting slight positive changes on stakeholders influence on mangrove resource management, control over resources, collective decision-making, and knowledge. Coping mechanisms and implications for disaster mitigation and sustainable management were discussed