VALORIZATION OF THE PHILIPPINE SARDINE VALUE CHAIN

 Encarnacion Emilia S. Yap^1*, Harold M. Monteclaro², Ernestina M. Peralta¹,

Ruby P. Napata³, Tabitha Ann Famatid², Ariel S. Sefil¹

 ¹Institute of Fish Processing Technology, College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences, University of the Philippines Visayas

² Institute of Marine Fisheries and Oceanology, College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences, University of the Philippines Visayas

³Institute of Fisheries Policies and Development Studies, College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences, University of the Philippines Visayas

*Corresponding author: esyap@up.edu.ph

The study used the value chain approach in determining the contribution of the Philippine sardine industry to food security and employment and in crafting the intervention measures that could help valorize the performance of the Philippine sardine industry. The study included the mapping of the sardine value chain to describe the different activities, the operators or actors, and the enablers along the value chain, with the bottlenecks and challenges along the chain identified and strategic interventions established. The study confirmed that the Philippine sardine industry provides jobs especially to the small fishers, traders, and processors in coastal communities of the country and generates revenues at the local and national levels. However, the opportunities derived from the industry are highly dependent on the state of the resource, which at present, is at the risk of overharvesting or overexploitation. The study likewise provided information on the key functions and activities of the key players along the value chain and identified the links between these players, with the fishers receiving the least benefits in terms of income. The interrelated problems, issues, and concerns specific to each of the stages or nodes of the sardine chain have been identified and in general, they were found to collectively result to the poor performance of the industry. An intervention framework was crafted, specifying strategies or intervention measures that allowed the generation of new knowledge, technologies, and policy recommendations that can be useful in valorizing the Philippines sardine industry. The study also enabled the identification of research gaps and capability building mechanisms that are focused on helping the different players of the industry achieve more balanced economic opportunities.

Keywords: value chain analysis, Philippine sardine industry, valorization,

MITOCHONDRIAL DNA CYTOCHROME B EVIDENCE FOR CRYPTIC SPECIES IN THE SPOTTED SARDINELLA, AMBLYGASTER SIRM (WALBAUM, 1792) IN SOUTHEAST ASIA WATERS

Noor Adelyna Mohammed Akib*^1,3 , Noorul Azliana Jamaludin^1,2,3, Jamsari Amirul Firdaus Jamaluddin³, Masazurah A. Rahim ⁴, & Siti-Azizah Mohd Nor⁵

¹Centre for Global Sustainability Studies (CGSS), Universiti Sains Malaysia, Penang, 11800, Malaysia

²Marine Capture Fisheries Division, Fisheries Research Institute, Sitiawan, Perak, 32000, Malaysia

³ School of Biological Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Penang, 11800, Malaysia

⁴ Fisheries Research Insitute, Batu Maung, Penang, 11 960, Malaysia

⁵ Institute of Marine Biotechnology, Universiti Malaysia Terengganu,

Kuala Nerus, Terengganu, 21050, Malaysia

*Corresponding author: adelyna@usm.my

The spotted sardinella, Amblygaster sirm (Walbaum, 1792) is a species of sardine that is commercially important in Malaysia.  Therefore, this study aims to determine the population structure of the targeted species by using mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) Cytochrome b (Cyt b) from ten populations, which includes, two populations from the Andaman Sea, six populations from the South China Sea, and one population each from Sulu Sea and Celebes Sea. The haplotype diversity (h) was high (ranged from 0.91 to 1.00) and nucleotide diversity (π) was low (ranged from 0.002 – 0.009) implying high variation of genetic diversity. The genetic divergence was observed from 7.2% to 7.6% between populations in the South China Sea and its neighboring waters, versus those in the Andaman Sea with significant F_ST. This indicated the probable occurrence of cryptic species due to >2% genetic divergence threshold and was supported by the morphometric analysis. The findings from this study will be beneficial for future fishery management of A. sirm, specifically from the Andaman Sea and the South China Sea whereby a separate management unit is recommended for these two populations.

Keywords: Population genetic, phylogenetic relationships, morphometric analysis, fishery management, Southeast Asia

COMPARATIVE FISHING TRIALS USING GAPPED AND CONVENTIONAL CRAB POTS FOR BLUE SWIMMING CRAB

 Rizalyn M. Picoy-Gonzales^{1,2 *}, Harold M. Monteclaro¹ and Nathaniel C. Añasco¹

¹Institute of Marine Fisheries and Oceanology, College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences, University of the Philippines Visayas, Miagao, 5023 Iloilo, Philippines

²Department of Fisheries, College of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences, Visayas State University-Tolosa, Brgy. Tanghas, Tolosa, 6503 Leyte, Philippines

*Corresponding author: rizalyn.gonzales@vsu.edu.ph

This study investigated the capture performance and economic costs of two types of crab pots, a dome-type (DCP) and a box-type (BCP) installed with a pair of appropriately designed escape gaps through actual fishing operations. A total of 30 units of DCP and 30 units of BCP, of which 15 were gapped and 15 were conventional, were deployed in each fishing trial. Over the sampling period, 12 fishing trials were conducted resulting to a total of 180 hauls per pot type per design. Results showed that the targeted blue swimming crab Portunus pelagicus catch in both gapped and conventional DCP and BCP designs were similarly efficient, although capture of undersized crabs was lower in DCP. Also, the catch rates of the target catch of the two pot designs were comparable. The gapped design was effective in significantly reducing non-target catch. Catch species richness was also reduced in the gapped DCP. In terms of the economic aspect, the gears obtained an ROI of 29.41 (gapped DCP), 80.42 (conventional DCP), 133.25 (gapped BCP) and 226.49 (conventional BCP). The opportunity costs for the gapped design were 51.01 for DCP while 93.24 for BCP. The use of escape gap in crab pots is an effective tool for the reduction of undersize P. pelagicus and non-target species, as well as catch species richness, while not compromising the target species so as the income of the fishers. The use of escape gap is a potential practical management measure that will help promote the sustainability of the blue swimming crab fishery in Eastern Visayas, Philippines.

Keywords: Escape gap, Crab pot, Portunus pelagicus, Catch per Unit Effort, Species richness

SPATIAL AND TEMPORAL PATTERNS OF SHORT MACKEREL
PURSE SEINE FISHERIES IN THE ANDAMAN SEA OF THAILAND ESTIMATED USING SURVEILLANCE DATA

 Chonlada Meeanan¹, Takahashi Yuki², Pavarot Noranarttragoon³, Matsuishi Takashi Fritz^2*

 ¹ Graduate School of Global Food Resources, Hokkaido University, Japan

² Faculty of Fisheries Sciences, Hokkaido University, Japan

³ Marine Fisheries Research and Development Division, Department of Fisheries, Thailand

 ^*Corresponding author: https://bit.ly/2fritz

Surveillance systems like vessel monitoring systems (VMS) have become popular globally, providing accurate fishing activity and fish abundance near-real-timely to assist in fisheries management. Short mackerel (Rastrelliger brachysoma) is one of the most economically significant pelagic fish in Southeast Asia. In particular, production has declined dramatically in the last ten years. This study aimed to characterize the spatiotemporal structure of short mackerel purse seine fisheries in terms of fishing grounds, which was estimated using machine learning of surveillance data. VMS data of 6,329 trips conducted by 109 purse seiner catching short mackerel in the Andaman Sea in Thai waters during 2018-2020 were used for the study. Nineteen temporal and fisheries-related parameters were investigated as predictors to detect fishing activity using Random Forest algorithms. The catch was calculated using Random Forest regression (RFR) and environmental and geographical predictors. The catch was then moralized and redistributed proportionately with short mackerel landing data collected from the landing declaration. Finally, the spatiotemporal pattern of estimated fishing effort and the catch was visualized monthly and during seasonal closures. Based on the study, both the estimated fishing effort and the amount of catch in 2020 increased from 2018 to 2019. During the 2018-2019 summer (March to May), fishing activity increased, whereas fishing activity increased from summer to the wet season in 2020. Fishing activity increased significantly in all three years during the implemented area closure (April to June) and varied among four major hotspots for spatial fish distribution. This study presents the first reasonable techniques for using surveillance data to examine the seasonal pattern of fish distribution. It provides a better understanding of the potential fishing activity of purse seiners during the implementation of the seasonal restriction. The proposed information will help for time-area-based management of migratory intensively exploited species, which necessitated fast and accurate information.

Keywords: Short mackerel, Fish distribution, Machine learning, Purse seine, Vessel monitoring systems

MICROPLASTICS POLLUTION IN AQUACULTURE WATER AND SEDIMENT OF COMMERCIAL MUD CRAB, Scylla sp. GROW-OUT PONDS

 Shahadat Hossain¹, Zuhayra Nasrin Ahmad Shukri¹, Rohisyamuddin Othman¹, Helena Khatoon², Zahidul Islam³, Tashrif Mahmud Minhaz⁴, Nor Azman Kasan^*1,2

¹Higher Institution Centre of Excellence (HICOE), Institute of Tropical Aquaculture and Fisheries, Universiti Malaysia Terengganu, 21030 Kuala Nerus, Terengganu, Malaysia

²Chattogram Veterinary and Animal Sciences University, Chattogram 4225, Bangladesh

³Freshwater Substation, Bangladesh Fisheries Research Institute, Saidpur-5310, Nilphamari, Bangladesh

⁴Marine Fisheries and Technology Station, Bangladesh Fisheries Research Institute, Cox’s Bazar Sadar-4700, Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh

⁵Microplastic Research Interest Group (MRIG), Universiti Malaysia Terengganu, 21030 Kuala Nerus, Terengganu, Malaysia

^*Corresponding author: norazman@umt.edu.my

The presence of microplastics in aquaculture operations close to estuaries is unquestionably evident but barely studied. This study scrutinized the microplastics abundance and characteristics (color, shape, composition) from the water and sediment sample of three randomly selected ponds of a commercial mud crab farm following the density separation, scanning electron microscopy, and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) of identified microplastics. All the water and the sediment samples were recorded microplastics particles with the quantity of 0.86-1.96 particles/L and 37.08 – 57.83 particles/g, respectively. Moreover, the average number of microplastics was higher in sediment (47.5 particles/g) than the water (1.28 particles/L). Most of the detected microplastics was fibrous (77.67% in water, and 66% in sediment), and transparent (58.03% in water and 59.06% in sediment). The scanning electron microscopy (SEM) showed the rough, fragmented, and porous surfaces of most of the microplastics particles. The compositions of microplastics were polybutene, polyethylene, nylon, polypropylene, polyamide, and polystyrene. The results are evident of high level microplastics pollution in the mud crab farm. Therefore, this study provided a representative overview of the adverse effect of different commercial fish and shellfish farm due to the increasing usage trend of plastics.

Keywords: Estuarine, Microplastics, Mud Crab, Water and Sediment.