BFAR assures small fishes massing no cause for alarm

CEBU, Philippines — The Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR)-7 has assured that the recent phenomenon of small fishes aggregating or grouping together in shallow waters is nothing to be worried about.

In a statement, BFAR-7 said the situation is not associated with bad tidings. Instead, they meant “abundance and biodiversity.”

“These events are not associated with geological or weather disturbances. There is no scientific basis supporting a correlation between these occurrences. These events signify a healthy marine ecosystem, reflecting abundance and biodiversity,” said BFAR-7 OIC Direcdtor Mario Ruinata.

“The public is encouraged to embrace and celebrate these indicators of a thriving marine ecosystem,” he added.

It has been reported that fishes commonly known as "tuloy-tamban" and "malangsi,” amassed in specifical locations in Ginatilan, Cebu, and that juvenile sharks did so, too, in Santander, Cebu.

Ruinata said there is actually “no cause for concern” as it simply means “abundance and biodiversity”.

BFAR-7 highlighted a few factors contributing to these “ecological events,” including the principle of food chain, where bigger species, including sharks, which are apex predators, also gather where food, like the sardines, herrings, and mackerels, congregate or gather in droves.

Another explanation BFAR-7 stated is that because it was a closed season for fishing in a portion of the Visayan Sea from Nov. 15 to Feb. 15 last year, there was abundance of marine life there since the fishes got to replenish, and this extended to the Tañon Strait and even to the southern part of Cebu.

BFAR-7 likewise said that the convergence of the Tañon Strait and the Bohol Sea results in the nutrients from the depths of the sea being brought up, thus attracting the small fish species and in turn triggering the coming of the sharks.

“The regular sightings of juvenile sharks in Santander, Cebu are connected to the triangular feeding and breeding ground formed by Leyte, Bohol, and Cebu. This natural occurrence contributes to a healthy marine environment,” BFAR-7 said.

“BFAR-7 reassures the public that monitoring and research efforts are ongoing to ensure the sustainability of our fisheries resources. We appreciate the vigilance of the community and encourage cooperation in promoting responsible and sustainable practices,” it further said, in the same press statement. — (FREEMAN)