Overpopulation puts pressure on aquatic resources – expert

MANILA, Philippines - Overpopulation is the more pressing problem exerting tremendous pressure on the country’s aquatic resources, a marine scientist said.

Dr. Rene Abesamis, a marine biologist studying coral reefs and marine reserves in the Philippines, said over the weekend that while the effects of climate change on the world’s seas and marine life are worthy of attention, “overfishing” brought on by an ever-increasing demand for fish appears to be the major culprit in the dwindling number of fishes in seas, especially in the country.

“Overpopulation and overfishing are the more pressing problems,” Abesamis told The STAR in an interview during the 35th Annual Scientific Meeting of the National Academy of Science and Technology (NAST).

Abesamis was named as one of the Outstanding Young Scientist (OYS) awardees during the 35th ASM for his outstanding contributions to coral reef studies especially on fish larval connectivity in marine reserve networks in the Bohol Sea and other areas in the Philippines.

He said while government agencies have imposed a temporary ban on fishing in some areas, there is still too much “overfishing.”

The scientist currently works at the Silliman University-Angelo King Center for Research and Environmental Management as research officer.

He is a Biology graduate of UP Diliman in 1997 and obtained a doctorate degree in Marine Biology at James Cook University in Queensland, Australia in 2011.

He acquired his master’s degree in Tropical Marine Ecology and Fisheries Biology in the same university in 2005. 

His study on coral reef, particularly on larval connectivity marine reserve networks in the Bohol Sea and other areas, has a significant impact on food security in the wake of marine resource overexploitation aggravated by climate change.

Abesamis’ research covers ecology of coral reef fishes, fisheries in coral reefs, fishery and tropic effects of marine reserves, and larval dispersal and population connectivity and their implications on fisheries management.