Galaxea, Journal of Coral Reef Studies (Special Issue): 253-259（2013） Proc 2nd APCRS Frequently gleaned holothurians in Camotes Islands, Central Philippines Serapion N. TANDUYAN1, *, Berenice T. ANDRIANO1, Panfilo E. CIRIACO1, Ricardo B. GONZAGA1, Wilfredo G. ANOOS1, and Lourdes M. GARCIANO1 1 Cebu Technological University­ Camotes Campus, 6050 San Francisco, Cebu, Philippines * Corresponding author: S.N. Tanduyan E­mail: [email protected] Abstract Camotes Islands is noted of its Camotes Sea as Gleaning one of the fishing grounds in the Philippines. Extraction of the marine resources including holothurians in this fishing ground has been felt by the fishermen; hence, this study was conducted in order to find out its gleaning methods Introduction used, species gleaned, extraction rate and perception on the distribution of holothurians in the four municipalities Holothuroids are the only echinoderms which lie on of Camotes Islands which are San Francisco, Poro, Tudela their sides (Colin and Arnesson, 1995). Sea cucumbers are and Pilar. Interview guide and actual field visits in the fascinating groups of marine animals. They live chiefly areas were used to gather the data. Results show that among corals but are also found among rocks and in gleaning methods of gathering holothurians in Camotes muddy and sandy flats and distributed from the shore to Islands were handpicking, using bolo, water goggles, great depths (James, 2001). They are consumed either pointed wood, iron bars and by spears both in day and fresh or processed. Because of its beautiful color com­ night operations. Frequently gleaned sea cucumber spe­ binations, they are caught live and in great demand for cies are Stichopus hermanni, Bohadschia paradoxa, aquaria. Their toxins have antiviral, anti unmoral, anti Bohadschia marmorata, Stichopus horrens, Holothuria cancerous and anti fertility properties and found to be nobilis, Stichopus variegatus and Holothuria pulla which useful in the pharmaceutical industries. At present nearly are also the species that were caught throughout the year. 1,400 species of sea cucumbers are known from the seas The size of the Holothurians gathered measures from in the world. of these, only 15 species are used for pro­ 5-10 cm and the perceived distribution distance of gleaned cessing at present (James, 2001). holothuria in the site is 1-5 m. The amount of catch is 1/2 The Class Holothuroidea consists of around 1,200 kilo per 1-2 hours gleaning time followed by “no catch” species in total. Of these, the number of species thought to and the third is 0.51 to 1.0 kg and the gleaning frequency be subject to exploitation has risen over the past 10 to 30 of holothurians in the entire Camotes Islands is 2-4 times years Conand 1993. a week. Holothuria species is now declining due to severe extraction or overexploitation (Schoppe, 2000) this was Keywords Holothurians, Camotes Islands, Extraction rate, also based from the personal observation and some in­ 254 Tanduyan et al.: Gleaned holothurians in Central Philippines terviews of the gleaners in the area. It is on this extent that from China, Hongkong, Taiwan, Singapore, Malaysia and the different species of this resource should be assessed Korea, many fishing communities have shifted to large­ and monitored so that a management plan on conservation scale exploitation and have caused a rapid decline in is formulated for the continuing span of the species. On stocks. Hence, this study was conducted to find out the the other hand gleaning which is the usual activity of the gleaning practices done by the gleaners, the species gath­ fisher folks has been found to be contributing to the ered and the extraction rate of holothurians that may serve depletion of the resource. The method as well as the as basis for whatever management and conservation op­ frequency of gleaning activity greatly affect the recent tions be made to sustain the availability of the resource as condition of the species of holothurians as well as their well as providing education to the gleaners on the effects habitats. As perceived target species of holothurians w ere of the extraction practices of the resource. heavily exploited because of the great demands from the middlemen whose sell them to buyers in the city. Small Objectives sizes of the resource were also observed and collected 1. To determine the gleaning methods used by the where this is very alarming and needs preferential at­ gleaners in Camotes Islands. tention by the academe and the government so as to 2. To find out the gleaned species of holothurians in sustain the supply of the resource. Camotes Islands. The Philippines was considered once as the second 3. To determine the extraction rate and the perceived largest producer in the world of dried sea cucumbers with distribution distance of holothurians in Camotes Islands. “boom” around in 1996 (Schoppe, 2000), but catches have fallen to 800 tonnes (dry weight) in 2001 according to FAO. It appears however to be somewhat higher as Materials and methods presented by Gamboa et al. (2005) (cited by Chantal Conand). This is used to be an important source of income Study site for many fishers in some Indo­ Pacific countries such as Camotes Island is composed of three islands namely: the Philippines, Indonesia, Fiji, Papua New Guinea, Pacijan, Poro and Ponson. They are found off the north Tonga, the Maldives and others. For the Philippines, the eastern coast of the island of Cebu and lies 10˚37′ to processing of sea cucumbers into “trepang” was first rec­ 10º43′10″ north and 124º24′40″ to 124º29′4″ East. The orded in 1911 (Roa, 1987). western most Island of Pacijan is entirely within the Sea cucumber ranks 8th among the major fishery exports political jurisdictions of the municipality of San Francisco of the country (Gamboa, et al.) There are about 100 spe­ while the eastern most and smallest island of Ponson cies of sea cucumbers in the Philippines but only few are belongs to the municipality of Pilar. The island Poro is commercially valuable. The commonly fished species are split between the municipalities of Poro and Tudela. The found in the families Holothuriidae and Stichopodidae islands belong to the Province of Cebu (pls. see figure 1.) (Schoppe, 2000) and the trade currently exists from the Almost all the parts of the island are occupied with northern to the southern part of the Philippines (Roa, mangroves. The whole island has tidal flats ranging from 1987). 100 meters to 450 meters long and width ranging from For almost a century, the harvesting and processing of 50 m to 1,500 meters. Pacijan Island is dominated by sea cucumbers into trepang has been a source of income grassy and muddy substrates. Poro Island has muddy and for many Philippine families (Schoppe, 2000). It is an rocky substrates and Ponson Island has sandy and muddy additional source of livelihood of many island and coastal substrates. Mostly, all the islands have lots of estuaries communities in the Philippines wherein the processed sea where Pacijan Island has the most of the estuaries and cucumbers are sold at the local markets. As such sea Poro Island has the least. cucumber fishery seems to be quite sustainable. However, with the continuous increasing demand for beche­de­mer Tanduyan et al.: Gleaned holothurians in Central Philippines 255 Fig. 1 Map of Camotes Islands showing the different coastal areas Table 1 Frequently gleaned holothurians in Camotes Islands species of sea cucumbers and some are used as food of the gleaners. This was based on the catch of the gleaners and also during the interview where pictures of the sea cucumbers are presented to them. The table 2 shows the different instruments used in gathering holothurians species. It was noted that hand­ picking got the highest frequency (763) in all the coastal areas of the different municipalities followed by the use of bolo or knife (424). Handpicking is commonly used in San Francisco followed by Pilar, Poro and Tudela due to the fact this is the simplest and no other instruments are Methods used where young and old gleaners can use them. Spears This study is a descriptive research using interview are the least used instrument being complicated in its guide & actual field visits in the area in order to gather the operation and usually operated in deeper waters. Water data. There are 1, 246 respondents that are distributed goggles are accessories for gathering sea cucumbers throughout Camotes Islands. The gleaners were identified during high tides and in deeper waters and kerosene lamps and were interviewed at the field and in the landing sites are used in gathering of sea cucumbers during night time. taking into account the species caught ant the amount of As revealed in table 3, 5.1-10 cm are the biggest size of their catch, This also includes the fishing paraphernalia sea cucumber gleaned and the least is 30 cm and above. used. An interview guide was used to gather data on the This means that the sizes of sea cucumber that are avail­ perceived distance of sea cucumber as well as on their able in our seas are of these sizes. This further means that perception on the species and amount of sea cucumber bigger sea cucumbers are rare since gleaners will always gathered for the last 10 years. prefer bigger sizes if ever they are available. Table 1 presents the 7 frequently gleaned holothurians Table 4 shows the estimated catch collected by the out of 20 species collected and identified throughout gleaners in which 1/2 kilo is common amount of gleaned Camotes Islands. Mostly, they are commercially important cucumbers throughout the islands. This means that the 256 Tanduyan et al.: Gleaned holothurians in Central Philippines Fig.