Two faces of fishkill

The recent incident of dead fish floating in Taal Lake in Batangas has certainly aroused the attention of global climate watchers. While it seems to be more a case of changing water temperatures that deprived oxygen supply to an estimated 2,000 tons of bangus and tilapia, they may be other issues on hand that deserve a second look.

It’s interesting to note that after the Taal Lake fishkill occurrence, a limited and contained amount of bangus or milkfish – about 30 to 50 tons – floated in the waters of Dagupan City, Anda and Bolinao towns of Pangasinan. The official prognosis, which does not really say much, is also oxygen depletion.

Whether our harried and overworked government workers from the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources will look deeper into these two events to determine the real cause behind the drop in oxygen levels remains to be seen.

Food and livelihood

Meanwhile, if indeed what happened were caused by shifting water temperatures due to abrupt and uncontrolled changes in the global weather conditions, the livelihood and food supply of millions of Filipinos may be exposed to more risks than we could imagine.

On the other hand, if these incidents of fishkill are due to old undesirable fish farming methods such as overfeeding, overpopulation and rising pollution, then government should take a closer look at the problems to abort massive losses.

The inland fisheries sector, which account for thousand of marginal fishermen who derive livelihood from its produce, may only be a small fraction of the total fishing industry but it supplies affordable fish and other freshwater marine life to millions of Filipinos belonging to the lower income strata.

Another view worth sharing

My interest in the issue was aroused when one of our readers sent an article that offered another view of the recent startling incident at Taal Lake. There is some merit to sharing it with others. Please read on.

“Residents of the then laid-back towns of San Nicolas and Agoncillo in Batangas were roused from sleep one Saturday morning. President Ramos motored, presumably from Tagaytay, to inaugurate a concrete bridge linking the two municipalities.

Old Pansipit

“The replacement of a hanging wooden bridge, kept steady by rusting cable wires was a dream come true. No other Palace official had been to picturesque Pansipit River, the only outlet of the lake to the saline Bay of Balayan, gateway to Verde Pass, a United Nations accredited marine sanctuary, and the pristine waters of Calatagan.

“President Ramos’s gaze was riveted on the eight-cubic-meter-sized bamboo cages along the river banks, a known passageway of the maliputo. Like salmon, talakitok fingerlings from the sea migrate upstream to freshwater Taal, and after a year or more, unsuccessfully attempt to return to sea, transformed with yellow markings as maliputo, trapped by home-made nets.

“After a week or so, a moratorium was ordered on new cages and fingerling stockings on Pansipit River. With time, the existing cages aged, and were cleared by resident-owners, leaving for harvest the unique Pansipit tilapia, and pooled for by jeeploads for selling in Malabon. Over time, a multinational firm eventually phased out their environmental-friendly narrow cages too.

Commercialization

“Commercial Taal Lake fish cages originated in Pansipit as a cottage industry, inspired by 30-year old Zhi Pong from Taiwan who married a dark skinned lass from Lemery and was blessed with four children. He advocated small cages, low stocking densities, and regulated feeding spaced four times a day. In three months or less, the size-14 fingerlings were marketable at four to five pieces a kilo.

“Weeks after President Ramos’ visit, word was out that Governor Hermilando Mandanas had called for a meeting. Culture period in the lake alarmingly extended from five to seven months, and yet growth was stunted.

“Behemoth 600-cubic-meter bamboo cages on the lake were noted to be overstocked with fingerlings and begging for regulation. Overcrowding has blinded and wounded a number during feeding time, to caretakers’ sorrow. 

“After a series of meetings, conducted amid threats of street protests among   stakeholders mostly from Agoncillo and San Nicolas (Talisay cages, where foreign ownership is now concentrated, then were a handful), a consensus was reluctantly reached to drastically reduce the number of cages, and to limit stocking densities. Cages were dismantled, but typhoons from the east hastened the unwelcome and thankless task.

Political will to stop exploitation

“Taal Lake is unique: there is an absence of changing tides, limited plankton, yet contains a delightful mix of endemic and cultured fish in its deep dark waters. The much-sought tilapia from the lake is dark green, a trademark reflecting the color of the waters, characteristics which are opposite those found in Laguna de Bay.

“Suitable culture areas to secure cage anchors in Taal Lake are limited, and dependence on intensive artificial feeding is a must. This drawback has resulted in wider cages and extended nets, with per cage carrying capacity at 1,200 cubic meters, double those of traditional cages. Harvests reach 50 tons, but the sinking (against floating) feed purchases are twice the output.

“Open-water fish culture is feed and capital intensive, a high risk venture, but the product finds its way to the local markets, not abroad. Let us forge a balanced arrangement with outsiders. Political will at the municipal level is the key.

“If nature’s call for moderation is rebuffed, perhaps it may be the volcano island’s fury that will provide the solution next time.”

Collegiate basketball

In a few weeks, the 2011 collegiate basketball season starts. The two popular Metro Manila leagues – UAAP and NCAA – and more than 30 other “mother leagues” all over the country will launch their respective sports competitions with basketball as the centerpiece activity.

Visit www.CollegiateChampionsLeague.net, the official website of Philippine Collegiate Champions League (PCCL), for details of happenings in the collegiate basketball scene.

Should you wish to share any insights, write me at Link Edge, 25th Floor, 139 Corporate Center, Valero Street, Salcedo Village, 1227 Makati City. Or e-mail me at [email protected]. For a compilation of previous articles, visit www.BizlinksPhilippines.net.