| Popis: |
A rapid coastal habitat and resource assessment was conducted between April and September, 2006 in nine coastal barangays of Lopez Jaena, Misamis Occidental in Northeastern Mindanao to obtain an updated ecological and socio-economic profile. A digitized coastal resource map estimated the coral reef area at 324.2 ha, a seagrass meadow of 526.2 ha, and mangrove forests covering 143.0 ha. Hard coral cover was highest inside the Capayas Is. marine sanctuary (44%) than in the non-sanctuary reef of Looc (40%) while the lowest coral cover was recorded in the Mansabay Bajo marine sanctuary (24%). High percentages (13-47%) of dead coral was evident of past damage from blastfishing or severe storms. A total of 146 species of fish belonging to 23 families occur on the reefs where 102 species are found inside the Capayas Island marine sanctuary. Fish communities on the deeper reef areas were fairly diverse in Capayas Is. (65 species) and Looc Reef, Mansabay Bajo (73 species), while Mansabay Bajo marine sanctuary has only 45 species. The most abundant species of reef fish in Lopez Jaena are small damselfishes (Family Pomacentridae), contributing little to available biomass. Mean population densities are higher in Capayas Is. (2.12 ind.m -2 ) and Looc reef (1.41 ind.m -2 ) than Mansabay Bajo sanctuary (0.64 ind.m -2 ). Estimates of fish biomass range between 29.7-63.0 t.km -2 which are considered high. Eight species of seagrasses occur on the sites surveyed with an overall cover of 48.23%. The most common seagrasses are the dugong grass Thalassia hemprichii and the tropical eelgrass Enhalus acoroides, while seaweed resources are not very diverse (44 species). Edible invertebrates are commonly gleaned from seagrass beds. At least 26 species of true mangroves and mangrove associates are found in Lopez Jaena. The mangrove ecosystems in many barangays are primarily natural forest with a small mix of reforested stands particularly of Rizophora mucronata and R. apiculata. The coastal fishery is characterized as a multi-gear, multispecies economic activity involving about 712 fishers, 362 fishing boats and 25 types of fishing gears. Estimated monthly catch of major gears amounts to 90.43 tons, or an annual production of 915.60 tons. Income from fishing is generally small, ranging from P54.00 fisher -1 .d -1 to P113.00 fisher -1 .d -1 , often not enough to support basic daily needs. |
