Expansion of Quirino fish sanctuary sought

The municipal government of Cabarroguis in Quirino is poised to push for an expansion of its five-hectare fish sanctuary, following the re-emergence of an endangered soft-shelled turtle there, the Philippine Environmental Governance (EcoGov), a USAID-funded project, said.

EcoGov’s Bing Jaleco said the freshwater turtle, which was last seen in the area seven years ago, was discovered to have resurfaced two weeks ago, boosting biodiversity conservation efforts in Cabarroguis town.

“More than anything else, it shows how sound environmental management and good governance can impact positively on biodiversity, in this case on habitat,” Jaleco said.

He cited the improved governance of Quirino’s forest and forestland resources through the town’s Forest Land Use Plan, which was prepared with technical assistance from EcoGov.

Leo Valdez, municipal environment officer of Cabarroguis, said the freshwater juvenile Cantor’s Giant Soft-Shelled Turtle (Pelochelys cantorii), locally known as cagot, was discovered after it got trapped in the fishnet of a fisherman along Addalam River in Barangay Eden two weeks ago.

The turtle was immediately brought to the municipal agriculturist’s office for proper documentation.

Valdez said the Addalam River watershed irrigates ricelands in Cabarroguis, Aglipay and Saguday in Quirino, and nearby towns in Isabela.

He said the site where the cagot was found is part of the fish sanctuary established in the mid-1990s.

Intensive quarrying and illegal fishing along the river prompted local leaders to protect the area to enable it to renew and increase fish stocks, Valdez said.