Fisheries and Coastal Management

The province’s fisheries production from January - October 2019, was recorded at 7,301.12 metric tons based on Philippine Statistics Authority. The bulk of production was contributed mainly by municipal fisheries (4,946mt) this could be attributed to continuous establishment of marine protected areas (MPAs) followed by commercial fisheries (1,438.77mt) and aquaculture (916.35mt).

Oriental Mindoro Fisheries Production, Jan-Oct 2019

Recorded Satellite images (Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite) showing no violations in Oriental Mindoro. During the fisheries seasonal closure commercial operations were suspended within the municipal waters of the entire province. Noted violations usually happened during the day where enforcement depends usually to the municipal government and the taskforce operation.

Fish Catch Monitoring Results, Sept. 15 to October 15, 2019

Recorded Satellite images (Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite) showing no violations in Oriental Mindoro. During the fisheries seasonal closure commercial operations were suspended within the municipal waters of the entire province. Noted violations usually happened during the day where enforcement depends usually to the municipal government and the taskforce operation.

Fish Visual Census

One of the data being monitored in the MPAs of Oriental Mindoro is the data on Fish biomass and density employing the Fish Visual Census method in core zones in the twenty-two (22) established and four (4) proposed MPA sites which have coral reef areas for baseline data on fish biomass, density and diversity estimates. This was first done in 2018 for baseline and in 2019 more sites were surveyed for baseline and for monitoring the increase/decrease of fish population within the monitoring stations (core zones).

Graphs below show that fish biomass in established and well-managed MPAs ranges from high to very high category (21- 40 and above mt/km2) while those newly established and proposed areas fall on very low to low up to moderate (0-20 mt/km2). In comparison, 2019 data (in orange bars), showed general increase from 2018 for fish biomass in all well-managed MPAs. Top 5 MPAs with highest fish biomass are Baco MPA, Calero-Salong Seagrass and Corals MPA (Calapan City), Banilad-Simborio Fish Sanctuary (Pinamalayan), Coral-Garden, Puerto Galera MPA and Maasin MPA (Bulalacao).

Fish Biomass in established and proposed MPAs for 2018 and 2019

Fish density (no. of individuals within the 500 meter transect) ranges from very poor (177 individuals/500m2) to high category (1,388 individuals/500m2). Buyayao Island in San Roque, Bulalacao, a proposed MPA, exhibited the highest number of individuals counted within the 500 square meter transect, followed by Mangal MPA, core zones of Puerto Galera MPA (Coral Garden and Dungon Wall), Harka Piloto in Calapan City and Kingfisher Marine Reserve in Pola.

Fish Density in established and proposed MPAs

Species diversity in MPAs for 2019 ranges from poor to high category with MPAs in Pinamalayan, Pola, Gloria, and Puerto Galera exhibited highly diverse fish species which ranges from 20 to 70 species identified within the 50-meter and 100-meter transect. While proposed MPA sites in Bulalacao are also considered highly diverse area for fish species. Significant increase of species identified and counted in 2019 (green bars) compared to 2018 (blue bars) within the 500 sq.m. area.

Species richness in established and proposed MPAs