Trawl Catch And Bycatch Survey In Samar Sea, Philippines 2016

Abstract

Two major fish landing points were identified namely: Catbalogan Fish Port and Calbayog Fish Port for commercial trawl and Barangay Burabud, Santa Margarita as secondary trawl landing port for municipal trawl fisheries. Standardized National Stock Assessment Program (NSAP) forms were used to collect data on trawl, both commercial and municipal trawl. For the purpose of segregating municipal trawl for shrimp and fish, we further classified municipal trawl as municipal trawl medium (engine powered by automotive diesel engines like (4DR5, 6D14, 6BB1 etc.) while municipal small are those small trawl for shrimp powered by 16 hp gasoline engine or sometimes single piston diesel engines. Aside from the landing survey, researchers also conducted on-board observation on trawl operation for commercial and small shrimp trawl. Total catch and towing time was recorded including the cruise track to determine the fishing ground. This study recorded a total of 107 species of finfish during the sampling months. Five species of commercially important shrimps were caught by trawl namely: Penaeus merguiensis, P. japonicus, P. latisulcatus, P. monodon and P. semisulcatus. A total of 40 commercial trawl and 753 municipal trawl were recorded operating in Samar Sea and vicinity. The commercial trawl catch in Calbayog City has 35 % and medium trawl had contributed 7% while the municipal medium trawl in Catbalogan City contributed 44 % and the municipal small gasoline trawl catch in Catbalogan and Brgy. Burabud Sta. Margarita was 14 %. The bycatch in commercial trawl was 2 % with use of JTEDs in Calbayog City while the municipal medium trawls got 62 % bycatch in Catbalogan City and for the municipal small gasoline in Catbalogan City and Sta. Margarita it was 16 %. Catbalogan City medium trawler (4DR5) do not use JTEDs due to the revision of the local ordinance.