Proceedings of the Fourth International Coral Reef Symposium, Manila, 1981, Vol. 1 FISH YIELD OF THE CORAL REEF SURROUNDING APO ISLAND, NEGROS ORIENTAL, CENTRAL VISAYAS, PHILIPPINES AC. Aleala and Teodulo Luchaver Division of Research, Extension and Development, Silliman University, Dumaguete City, Philippines ABSTRACT ‘The fish yield of tho 1.56-km? coral reef of Apo Island, a T4cha volcanic island off the southeastem coast of = Island, Philippines, as determined by 2 combined method of direct observation and interview- questionnaire during the period May, 1980 to March, 1981, ranged from about 8.00 to 1423 (mean, 11.4) tmilkaiyr. The fish gear used by 54 Fishermen consisted of ill nets, bamboo traps, and handlines. The fish groups caught were mostly Carangidae, Acanthuridae, and Ceesiodidee, and Elopidae. The average income per fisherman per fishing day was low — P9.41 for the southwest monsoon period and P5.8S for the northeast ‘monsoon period. The need for management ofthe fishery resources and the promotion of alternative employment {or the 450 inhabitants of Apo Tsland is indicated by the research data INTRODUCTION steep and rocky, showing severe erosion from rain and wave actions. The prevailing currents during Fish yields of coral reefs appear to vary widely nx from less than | mUllm2/yr to almost 20 mt/km2iyr (see Smith et al. 1980, Alcala 1981, Marten and Polovina 1981). Marshall (1979) believes that reef ish yields vary widely and that yields of 15-20 m- Ukmlyr reported for the small central Philippine island of Sumilon (Alcala 1981) may be at the max- imum end of the scale. In the Philippines, coral reefs, are used as traditional fishing areas. It is of theore- tical and practical interest to know where some of these reefs (usually fringing reefs) surrounding small islands lio in the presumed productivity seale. We therefore conducted the present study to deter: mine the biomass of fish caught by the traditional fishermen of Apo Island. STUDY AREA ‘Apo Island, a T4hectare volcanic island, lies in the Mindanao Sea off the southeastern coast of Negros Island, about 7 km east of Barangay Mala: tapay, Zamboanguita town (Fig. 1). It is elongated in shape, its long axis oriented in the north-south direction. Two peaks rise about 200 m above soa level in the northern half of the island. Near the southern tip is alow hil. Part ofthe southern half of the island is flat, being formed of eoraline rocks and 1d. Five sandy beaches are found in the eastern, ‘western, and southeastern parts of the island. The two southeastern beaches form the seaward walls for the two brackish ponds. The coral sand and coral fragments of these beaches have apparently been deposited by longshore currents generated by the een = northeast and southwest. winds. Except for the beaches, the island coastline is for the most part Figure. Map of Apo Island e~ Y conte ta ete70 the northeast monsoon months move westward and. then southward along the northern end of the island and generally southward along the eastern and southeastern sides. The directions are probably reversed during the southwest monsoon. Little of the original vegetation (monsoon and beach forests) remains, being limited to steep and rocky areas. Leguminous trees (Leucaena) and a screw pine (Pandanus) have been planted on the island. Water is brackish during the dry season and people generally depend on stored rainwater for drinking and cooking. Little agriculture existe on the island. Cultivated plants include coconut trees, com, sweet potatoes, and cassava, Few animals are raised: these include chickens, hogs, goats, and cattle. The millfish (Chanos chanos} is raised in the two brackish ponds. ‘The island inhabitants (450 men, women and children) depend upon fishing as the main source of income. Few women supplement the family income ‘with cash from the sale of mats woven from leaves of Pandanus. AA fringing reef surrounds the island. The area of this reef to the 60-m isobath is about 1.56 km? (Fig, 1). The eastern and southeastern portions of the reef have the most extensive live coral cover. The ben- thic biota appears typical of coral reefs in the Philip- ppines. In addition to fish, invertebrates such as oc- topi, gastropod shells, sea cucumbers, and shrimps, and algae (Gracilaria and Caulerpa) are found on the reef. Fishing on the reef occurs throughout the year and at different times of the day being limited only by strong currents and rough seas brought about by occasional typhoons and local storms. The fisher- ‘men (numbering 53) use small, locally-built, non- ‘motorized dug-out canoes, Their fishing gears in- clude baited hand lines, bamboo traps, gill nets, and spearguns. They do not use light (e.g. kerosene lanterns) except when fishing for ten-pounders dur- ing the northeast monsoon months. METHODS AND MATERIALS ‘The area of the fringing reef to the 60-m isobath was determined with reference to a topographic map prepared from photographs by the Army Mice, Corps of Engineers, U.S. Army, Washington, D.C. (seale 1:50,000). Skin and scuba divers verified the limits of the reef through actual measurements. ‘We used the methods of direct observation and questionnaire interview to estimate the fish catch. Through observation, data were gathered on the species of fish found and caught in the reef, the fishing gear employed, the fishing sites on the reef, and the actual weights of fresh and dried fish sold by the fishermen to the middlemen in Apo Island. ALCALA AND LUCHAVEZ and in Barangay Malatapay on the Negros main- Jand (the only market outlet of fish from Apo). The questionnaire-interview method gave us informa: tion on the actual number of fishermen, the percen- tage of the catch sold for cash, the value of the fish cateh, the quantity and types of fish consumed, and the influence on fishing of tides, current and social events, and other domestic acti ‘two methods generally complemented or cross- checked each other and allowed us to infer valuable information not possible with either method alone. ‘The fish-catch data for the southwest monsoon (May to September, 1980) were gathered during 21 Wednesdays (Wednesday being the market day of Malatapay); those for the northeast monsoon (Oc- tober, 1980-March, 1981) during any day of the week for 28 days both at Malatapay and Apo, most- ly at the former locality. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION ‘The fish groups (a couple of octopus species in- cluded) caught in Apo Island during the period of sampling are listed in Table 1 in the order of abun- dance and in Table 2 according to fishing method. The “reel” species consisted primarily of the acan- thurids, scarids, caesiodidids, plectorhynchids, epinephelids, and lutjanids. These were the groups visually observed in the reef. The pelagic species consisted of the carangids, el ‘scomberomorids, and sphyraenids. The composition of the eatch varied during the two monsoon seasons (Table). ‘The carangids, acanthurids and caosiodidids made up the bulk (ca. 68%) of the catch during the southwest monsoon, while the elopids, tarangids, and caesiodidids dominated the catch (a. 84%) during the northeast monsoon. The carangids ‘wore caught year round. The elopids (ten-pounders) are important fishery species only during the nort fast monsoon months. The acanthurids (genera ‘Naso and Acanthurus) are less important during the northeast’ monsoon season. ‘The handline, using larger plankton, shrimps, fish, and squids as bait, appears to be the most productive of the fishing sears used by the fishermen (Table 2) "About 1,849.8 kg of fish were caught and sold by the fishermen during 21 sampling days from May to September, 1981, and about 1,521.5 kg during 28 sampling days from October, 1980 to March, 1981 {Table 2). Since these quantities represent about 92% of the catch (8% are consumed), as revealed through questionnaire and interview, the total catch was about 2,010.6 kg for the southwest. monsoon and 1,496.4 kg for the northeast, monsoon. ‘The estimated annual yield, based on the estimated 240 fishing days a year, is 2,978.8 kg or 14.79 mtlkm? during the southwest monsoon and 12,483.5 kg orFISH YIELD OF APO ISLAND, PHILIPPINES 8.00 mtikm? during the northeast monsoon. The ‘mean of these two estimates is about 11.4 mt/lm?. If the data for the two fishing seasons are combined, ‘the estimated annual yield is 10.8 mt/km?, not too far from the mean of 11.4 mtlkm?. ‘Table 1. List of fish species and cephalopods caught by ‘Apo Island fishermen during sampling period. ‘Taxonomic Group Weight ike) ‘Southwest Monsoon 1. Carangidae (Caran, Carangoides, Blegatis) 4941 2. Acanthuridae (Acanthurus, Naso) 4405, 23, Caesiodidae (Caesio! 320.2 44. Assorted reef spec 1905 5. Octopus ng 6, Searidae (Searus) 702 1. Belonidas 692 8. Scomberomoridae and allied species (mostly Scomberomorus) 495 9, Lethrinidae (Lechrinus) 380 10. Latjanidae (Lutjanus) 205 11, Elopidae (Elops) 156 12, Plectorhynchidae (Plectorhynchus) 122 13, Epinephelidae Epinephelus) 12 ‘TOTAL Tas Northeast Monsoon 1. Elopidae (Ely 6388 2, Carangidae, (Carans, Carangoides, Elegatis) 3335 8. Caesiodidae (Caesio! 1629 44, Acanthuridae (Aeanthurus, Naso) 183 ‘5, Scomberomoridae and allied species (mostly Seomberomorus) 462 6. Lethrinidae, Pomacentridae, Clupeidae, Sphyraenidae, Sigunidae, Octopus Bie 1. Scaridae (Searus) 204 8. Mursenidee 100 TOTAL Taas ‘These estimates refer only to freshly caught fish; excluded are the 553 kg of dried fish (32 for the northeast monsoon and 521 for the southwest mon- soon) because of lack of information on dates they ‘were caught. They are mentioned here only to in- dicate that the fishermen make every effort to sell their catch. ‘More fish were caught during the southwest mon- soon than during the northeast (Table 2). This in- dicates that the eastern and southeastern portions Of the reef, which are protected from the southwest. ‘monsoon but exposed to the northeast monsoon, are the more productive parts of the reef, probably because of the more extensive live coral cover. m “Reef” species, in fact, made up most of the catch during the southwest monsoon. Also included in Table 2 is the Philippine peso value of the total catch and the estimated income of ‘ach fisherman per fishing day, which is quite low — 75.83 to P9.41. Our estimates, however, exclude the value of small reef fish and invertebrates gleaned from the reef and consumed by the people. ‘The catch per unit effort (cf) of the Apo Island fishermen is rather low. The elf for the hand line ap- pears uniform throughout the year (0.13-0.17 ‘kg/man-h) but that for gill net and bamboo trap is lower during the northeast monsoon (0.03 kg/man-h) than during the southwest monsoon (0.13 kg/man-h). ‘The annual fish yield of the Apo Island reef (range 815 mt/lam?; mean 11.4 mt/km?) is substantial. It is higher than most published reports except two, that by Wass for Samos (Marten and Polovina 1981), which is 18 mt/km? and that by Alcala (1981) for Sumilon, which is 14-20 mtlkm?. As Alcala (1981) pointed out, the discrepancy in the reported fish yields of coral reefs could be explained partly by differences in the methods of computing the sea bot tom areas. While other authors have apparently in- cluded lagoon bottoms with no or little coral reef (which are probably less productive), we have in- cluded only the coral reef bottom in our area timates, SUMMARY AND CONCLUSION ‘The annual fish yield of the 1.56-km? fringing reef of Apo Island, # 74hectare, voleanic island off the southeastern coast of Negros Island, as determined by interview-questionnaire and direct observation for a period of 11 months (May, 1980 — March, 1981), ranged from 8.00 to 14.23 (mean, 11.4) m: tkm?, This annual yield, although substantial, is Tower than that of the nearby island of Sumilon (14-20 mt/km?) and that of Samoa (18 mt/km?) but higher than those of other islands reported in the literature. ‘The wide differences among the pub- lished estimates are probably due in part to the ‘method of computing the sea bottom arcas. The higher fish yield of the Apo Island reef during the southwest monsoon months is attributable to the presence of more extensive live coral cover of the eastern and southeastern portions of the reef, which are protected from the southwest monsoon. ‘The carangids, caesiodidids, and acanthurids made up the bulk of the catch during the southwest. ‘monsoon, while elopids, carangids, and caesiodidids comprised most of the catch (84%) during the north- east monsoon. The income of the 53 traditional fishermen of Apo Island was rather low — P5.38 to 79.41 per fishing day.ALCALA AND LUCHAVEZ 2 pam on 7 eCep ty — Arp ES, “keproupa yy — hep daar cos Searct «ees SORE FoRYT © STEE'T Sess OBeO'T TET soLO'T Gos ra ‘tuosuoow 38004 20N) 961 “aoe “0861 3090190 SLVI UstZ TH OFSLY'OT OTK —SareTT HeBIt ¥999 soNT T60T LIS woot (woortiou soe 3008) 086T sequandg AO wea sy Gy . ory are i uo], 10, re et ma ee a any ey Fee seed OL pueet aN Suduseg 50°0N m9 wonearasgg Jo poued ray sana od Wa ORT, poue A Sa ormamnea oddg 19g uocaroyerj jo soqurny “ju 99°T Joa [9109 J0 wary “Come 10 pIos ys Joos Ann) yone9 JO 46% OAV AK U0 Ul EAED OVE “gst yuo (uoosuots yeeayn20U) (96 OIEHK HON O96T "1990120 UI eXuP Sumdures gz FNP PUP ayy UF eAep Hues tz Sunp prey ody Jo joo jae ayy Wosy (Ap qoveo WELZ aIBLFISH YIELD OF APO ISLAND, PHILIPPINES Our findings indicate a possible role of the weather pattern as a conservation factor for the fish resource of Apo Island. The northeast monsoon, which blows from October through April, renders the eastern and southeastern portions of the reef in- accessible to the fishermen during this period, thus effecting a closed season for these portions of the reef. Similarly, the southwest monsoon, which blows from May or June through September, tends to close to fishing the western side of the island. (Fishing oecurs on all sides of the island in May and October, the months of relative calm.) Thus, given the present traditional methods of fishing (hand line, gill net, bamboo traps), and assuming the reef environment is conserved, the fish resource of the island could be self-perpetuating, without the im- position of legal restrictions to fishing. However, the low income of the fishermen could drive them to shift to more efficient but ecologically destructive fishing methods in the future. To avert this, resource managers could do at least two things: 1) conduct an educational and conservation cam- paign among the island inhabitants and, 2) promote gainful selfemployment of the non-fisherman com- ponent of the island population (e.g. cottage in- dustries such as mat and basket weaving). ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ‘We wish to thank the National Research Council of the Philippines for the financial support of our research 3 project: Mrs. Angelita M. Cadelita for preparing the Survey questionnaire; Mrs. Pacita B. Raterta and Mrs Melba F Divinagracia for typing the manuscript; and ‘Moses L: Alcala for helping prepare the illustration, REFERENCES Alcala, A.C, 1981. Fish yield of coral reefs of Sumilon ‘sland, ‘central. Philippines. National Research Couneilof the Philippines Research Bull. 36: 1-7. ‘Marshall, Nelson. 1979. Fishery yields of coral roofs and ‘adjacent shallow-water environments. In Saul B. Sala and Philip M. Hoedel (eds). Stock Assos: ‘ment for ‘Tropical Small-Scale ‘Fisheries. Pp. 103-108. Proc. Int. Workshop held September 1921, 1979, Univ. of Rhode Island, Kingston, FLL Marten, Gerald G. and Jeffrey J. Polovina. 1981. A com- ‘parative study of fish yields from various tropical scoaystems. Paper Presented to the ICLARM/- CSIRO Workshop on the Theory and Management of Tropical Multispecies Stocks, Cronulla, ‘Australia, January, 1981 Smith, Jan R., Miguel Y. Puzon and Carmen N. Vidal- ‘Libunac. 1980. Philippine municipal fisheries: « review of resources, technology and socio ‘economics. ICLARM Studies and leviews No. 4. Int. Center for Living Aquatic Resources Manage mont and Fishery Industry Development Council, Manila, 87 p.