PROJECT ACCOMPLISHMENT ON CONTAINMENT OF KNIFEFISH INFESTATION IN LAGUNA DE BAY

The knifefish (Chitala ornata) is an invasive alien species which found its way to Laguna de bay through escapement from aquaculture facilities. The fish is highly carnivorous and aggressive. It can breed naturally in the open water of the Lake with average fecundity of 20,000 eggs/kg breeder. Baseline survey of key landing areas around Laguna de Bay showed 4 municipalities in Rizal 2 cities in NCR and 12 municipalities and 1 city in Laguna are affected by knifefish. 

In June, 2013, the formation of a inter-agency technical working group was formalized during the First National Forum on Invasive Fishes to implement a Project on the Containment of knifefish proliferation in Laguna de Bay. 

The Project is designed to continuously assess the environmental and socio economic impacts of knifefish to the fisheries and fisherfolks in Laguna de bay; the implementation of practical strategies to contain the population of knifefish; and promote technologies on the economic utilization of the fish as supplemental livelihood to affected fisherfolks. It is a 5 year project which started in 2012 and will end in 2017.

ACCOMPLISHMENT

1.  Conducted fishery assessment Surveys covering 6 municipalities in Rizal and 17 in Laguna (Volume of knifefish landed catch in comparison with the major fisheries of Laguna de Bay)

• Reduction of the % volume of knifefish from 43.67% baseline in 2013 to 20.21% in 2015.
• Recovery of Tilapia as the major catch
• Apparent decline in the volume of bigger size knifefish and the predominance of smaller size (50 grammers)

2. Sustained participatory massive retrieval of knifefish in partnership with LGUs and fisherfolks. Fund transfer of P 3.7 M to 22 municipalities for the cash for fish retrieval by the fisherfolk

• 126.12 tons knifefish retrieved
• 32 bamboo poles egg collected.

3. Conducted experiment on the intervention in the life cycle to identify the vulnerable stage to eliminateknifefish

• Salinity tolerance test – established 12 ppt as the lethal level for knifefish
• Burrying the eggs 
• Electrocuting the eggs
• development of electro fishing gadget in coordination with the NMFDC and FARMC in to eliminate knifefish egg and fry
• Conducted field trials on the effectiveness of electro-fishing gadget
• Prepared policy guidelines for the Joint BFAR LLDA Memorandum Circular
• Conduct Stakeholders’ Forum regarding the application of the electro fishing gadget 

4. Conducted surveys on public awareness of invasive fishes, including the cvomicvs writing contest for high students with the theme Knifefish sugpuin.

5. Collection and processing of knifefish into fishmeal and value added products 

6. Conducted 30 trainings as livelihood support to 1,380 fisherfolk beneficiaries including the fisherfolk under Pantawid Pamilya Program

7. Distributed 320 knifefish efficient fishing gear. 

8. Chaired the 12 regular meetings of the inter-agency TWG on the Containment of Knifefish

9. Maintained and continuously update the invasive fishes website.

10. Produced AVP documentary on invasive fishes

11. Develop and packaged 16 types of IEC materials; and distributed of 2,335 posters, CDs, t-shirts, mugs, calendar, bookmarks, fan, bags and sticker

12. Organized and facilitated the 2nd National Forum on Invasive Fishes stakeholder forum.

13. Conduct of gut analysis and gonado- somatic index of knifefish 

14. Prepared and published the proceedings of the 2nd National Forum on Invasive Fishes; and printing and publication of the winning entry in the comiks writing contest 

15. Attended inception meeting of the UPLB-PCAARRD research proposals on the biology and population dynamics of knifefish