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BFAR Region 02
National Stock Assessment Program
Highlights of Accomplishment
January-December 2011
Narrative Report
The National Stock Assessment Program (NSAP)
of the bureau with focus on Marine Fisheries Stock
Assessment in major fi shing grounds of the country
maintained its twenty-two (22) observation sites in
the region -- twelve (12) in Batanes, and ten (10) in
Cagayan, covering Batanes Waters and Babuyan
Channel, respectively. This program primarily
aims to develop capabilities of BFAR Regional Staff
to undertake stock assessment together with the
Local Government Units in the study areas and to
evaluate exploitation level of the marine fi sheries
resources, specifi cally marine fi shes, as basis in
fi sheries policy formulation.
Three meetings were conducted in Batanes (2)
and Cagayan (1) to thresh-out issues and concerns
of the major actors of the program – enumerators
assigned in strategic observation sites in the two
provinces.
NSAP enumerators assisted Japanese
representatives from the Western Central Pacifi c
Fisheries Commission (WCPFC) in the conduct of
tuna survey along the observation sites covering
Babuyan Channel, to check for landings of bluefi n
tuna (Thunnus orientalis). Several allegations
have been raised in the international community
that bluefi n tuna is now threatened, hence the
clamor to include this species in the Convention
on International Trade of Endangered Species
(CITES). To confi rm/oppose these allegations,
representatives from the WCPFC were tasked to
document alleged bluefi n tuna sightings in several
BFAR
identifi ed landing centers in the Philippines,
including sightings along Babuyan Channel.
Fisherfolk interviewed from the area informed
the team that this species is most abundant during
summer – peak of tuna landings, but is not yet fully
documented.
NSAP technical paper entitled “Status of
Fisheries Resources at the Babuyan Channel (1999-
2010)” co-authored by Ms. Maureen A. Aragon,
Dr. Evelyn C. Ame, Mr. Venchito B. Villarao, and
Dr. Jovita P. Ayson, was presented and awarded
the First Best Research Paper during the Regional
Fisheries Research and Development In-house
Review. Same paper was presented during
the 16th Annual Zonal Commodity Research
and Development Symposium for Fisheries in
Bulwagan 2, Balanga, Bataan, and during the DOST
CRM Training on “Strengthening Governance and
Sustainability of Small-Scale Fisheries Management
in the Philippines: An Ecosystem-Based Fisheries
Management Approach (Phase 2)”. This paper
discussed results of the marine fi sheries stock
18
assessment conducted from 1999 to 2010 in ten
landing centers covering Babuyan Channel with
the objective of determining the fi shing ground’s
status as basis for the sustainable management and
conservation of its marine resources.
Two NSAP technical papers entitled - 1) Status
of fi sheries resources at the Babuyan Channel (1999-
2010), and 2) Status of fi sheries resources at the
Batanes Waters (1998-2010) were presented during
the National NSAP conference. This conference
primarily aims to present results of the NSAP to the
public, primarily fi sheries stakeholders, both from
the municipal and commercial sector. The results
presented will be released to LGUs concerned as
their basis in fi sheries policy formulation.
Ms. Aragon, NSAP Project Leader, also coauthored
the published “First Report of the Taiwan
Sardinella (Sardinella hualiensis) (Clupeiformes:
Clupeidae) in the Philippines”. Specimens of
Sardinella hualiensis were collected from Palauig,
Sta. Ana, Cagayan, one of the NSAP observation
sites along Babuyan Channel. The present report
confi rms the presence of a sixth species of Sardinella
in the Philippines and ranks the Philippines,
alongside Taiwan and Indonesia, as second only to
India for highest diversity of Sardinella species in
the world.
Mr. Noel Barut, NSAP National coordinator explains the
idenfi cation of common tuna species during a fi eld visit.
NSAP personnel with WC Japanese nationals in search for
blue fi n tuna in the coastal area along Babuyan channel.
Visit our website at http://region2.bfar.da.gov.ph